My Salvatore Heart
by TVDKitFanfic
Summary: 3rd: It seems that all is right in Mystic Falls once again. Kit has found a family who accepts her as she is. Damon has found someone who loves him as he is. They've protected each other and their family and the town they've both grown to love again. Klaus has fled after he realized he'd lost the one thing that meant salvation for him. But, how will Mystic Falls handle a wedding?
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

_Prologue_

_Wedding bells are hanging high in the air for Damon and Kit._

_Kit swore that she would never fall victim to love ever again._

_Damon swore that he would get the only woman who had ever loved him back._

_Both, being stubborn and strong-willed brought them closer than they imagined._

_Without the threat of Klaus upon them. they have one final test._

_Together, they face their most formidable challenge yet._

_The trip to becoming Mr. and Mrs. Damon Salvatore._

_Now, the task at hand, before walking down the aisle, is telling their loved ones of their plans._

_How will the others deal with news of an upcoming wedding?_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thursday January 6th, 2011_

"Why do we have to keep hiding what we are?" Damon asks as he furiously throws his jacket on my couch.

"We're not hiding, Damon. We can't just drop this on them. What would they think?" I ask from the kitchen as I make him a glass of bourbon.

"You think I care what they think? All I've wanted for that past week and a half, is to shout from the rooftops that we're getting married. Why can't I?" he asks, coming into the kitchen to claim his drink. He rests against the counter across the room and watches me.

"Damon, we've had such a great night with our family. Why do you always choose these moments to argue about this?" I ask, eyeing him with a glass of my own.

"Because, you always find ways to rip my present from my hands." he pouts. God, I love it when he pouts. The bad thing is that he knows it and does it on purpose to get his way. We need time to tell them the right way.

"Your present? I gave you a watch." I smirk.

"Don't be coy. You are my fiancé and I want everyone to know. Are you ashamed to be engaged to me?" he asks looking hurt.

"Of course not. I just want them to be okay with us being engaged. That's all this is. You may not care, but I do." I say.

"If they love you, they'll be perfectly fine with this. What are you afraid of?" He asks, stepping in front of me, pinning me to the corner.

"I'm not afraid of anything. I'm worried. I love them all, but you know as well as I do just how judgmental they can be." I say.

"Trust me, I know. Especially Caroline and Bonnie. That's who you're scared of, isn't it?" he asks, eyeing me carefully.

"What are you talking about? Why would I be scared of those two?" I ask, taking a sip of bourbon.

"You're terrified that if they get wind of us together, they'll talk you out of it." he says looking down at me.

"Stop thinking you know my every thought and feeling. That's not what's happening here." I say shooting him a look.

"You really don't want me to say what I'm truly feeling at this very moment." he says looking me dead in the eye.

"Say it. I dare you." I love challenging him. Those three words always bring fire into his eyes. Just then, he takes me over his shoulder and suddenly sets me flat on the table. He leans over me as he hikes my light peach, knee-length dress up, and brings each foot up and removes my Jimmy Cho's.

"You really wanna know what I'm thinking?" he asks, leaning so close that I feel his shallow breathes.

"Tell me. What's in this pretty head of yours?" I ask as I fist my fingers in his hair. He takes my hands and stretches them above my head, across the table, with one hand and caresses my face with the other.

"What I'm thinking, is that either you stop hiding my ring and tell them. Or, I will. Trust me. You don't want me to tell them. Because if I have to wait for you to do it, you are gonna find yourself incredibly frustrated every single day." he breathes, his eyes blazing.

"You wouldn't do that. You don't have the balls to go without sex. So, I know you're full of empty threats." I breathe.

"You have absolutely no idea what I can go without. You keep me waiting and I promise you, the one taking cold showers will not be me." he says as he releases me and walks away, leaving me incredibly hot and bothered.

Breathing heavily, I shift on the table, following his movements. "You're just gonna leave me like this?"

"You wanted to know what I thought. There you go. I'm going to bed." he says walking away, but I can tell I'm not the only one who's turned on.

Getting off the table, I unzip my dress and let it sit at my hips.

"You sure about that?" I ask as sultry as possible, it stops him in his tracks.

Turning on his heel, he gazes at me, tension and want clear in his eyes, "Put your dress back on, Kit." I'm always Kit when he's mad or worried. How can he hide what he obviously wants? Two can play this game.

Letting my dress fall to the floor, I kick it to him, which he catches.

"Make me." I smirk, sitting back on the table, watching him.

Walking over to me, he stands between my legs, "What are you doing to me?" he asks, placing his forehead against mine.

"Hopefully, I'm getting exactly what I want right now." I breathe, making eye contact, which sends me over the edge. I wrap myself around him like a vine, "Damon, please." I breathe against his ear.

"What do you want?" he breathes. I have gotten to him.

"You. Now." I breathe as he lifts me off the table and makes his way to the stairs. Before I can control myself, I bite into his shoulder as hard as I can.

"Ah! What the hell was that?" he groans, taking us to the floor, just before the living room.

"I'll never make it to the bed. Screw your vamp speed." I say, literally ripping his clothes off.

"Kitten, slow down. We have all the time in the world." he says laughing.

"Screw time. We live in the moment. Or, have you forgotten?" I say kissing his neck.

"No, I haven't forgotten. Could I at least get you to the couch?" he asks laughing still.

I push him to the floor, before he remembers his anger and begin work on his pants, as he removes his shoes.

Instead of letting me finish what I started, he pulls my face to his and locks me in an embrace on the floor. As we're lost to the world around us, we hear the door fly open and, "Damon! Kit!" looking towards the door we see Elena and Elijah. Realizing that I'm pleasantly naked, Damon sits up with me in his arms to shield me while I grab his shirt to cover myself and he slides his pants on. "Couldn't whatever you're here for have waited 'til, I don't know, sunrise?" Damon asks.

"Elena, as much as I love you, there had better be a monumental reason for you being here." I growl. "And you, Elijah, why are you here?"

"Since when did the two of you turn into the same person? Never mind, it doesn't matter. Stefan was taken." she says.

"By who?" we both ask. "Who would want Stefan and why?" I ask.

"Klaus." Damon says looking at me.


	3. Chapter 3

"What would Klaus want with Stefan?" I ask.

"I can answer that if you invite me in." Elijah says from the door.

"No!" Damon and I say in unison.

Elena pulls me away from Damon, "Kit, I would never ask you to do the wrong thing. But, I think you should let him in. He could know what Klaus is up to." she says convincingly.

"Fine."

"Not _fine_. He could be on some crazy ass revenge mission for Papa Hybrid. Don't be stupid, Kit." Damon says, cutting me off.

"I'm not being stupid and this is my house, Damon." I argue.

"Not for long." he argues back. I narrow my eyes at him before turning back to the door.

"Come in, Elijah. I'm going to change." I say as I head for the stairs.

"Make yourself at home." I hear from an angry Damon.

Soon I feel hands on me and I'm being rushed to my bedroom. I find myself on my bed pinned under Damon, who's being rougher than usual. "Why did you do that? Why would you blatantly disregard everything I said?" he asks while he fists his hand in my hair pulling my head back.

"I'm not stupid, Damon. I know what I'm doing. You don't have to overly protect me all the time." I say struggling beneath him.

"Damn it, Kit! I'm protecting you because I love you! Why don't you see that?" he says as he pulls harder on my hair.

"You're hurting me. Stefan's missing. We shouldn't even be fighting right now. Let me go." I try to break free of him.

"You are a stubborn little thing, aren't you?" he asks still not letting me go.

"You knew that when you proposed." I grit out as I dig my nails into his shoulders and drag them along his arms until he releases me.

After a moment of finding himself, "I'm so sorry, Kitten. Please, forgive me. I don't know why I did that." he says wide-eyed, then takes me in his arms.

"You're still upset because of the engagement. I get it." I say, pulling his face to mine in a long-winded kiss.

* * *

"So what's our first step? How do we get Stefan back?" I as looking at all of them.

"You're gonna help by staying here. Elena will stay with you. Won't you, Elena?" Damon asks, looking from me to her.

"No Damon, if Stefan's out there I wanna find him." she says.

"You two are being increasingly silly. Damon and I will look for our brothers while you two stay put." Elijah pipes in.

"Why do you even care at all?" I leer.

He paces until he's right in front of me, "I've heard that you and Damon share the same attitude. Be forewarned, I will not heal to your vulgar stares. You may have this_ take not prisoner_ mindset, but unless you stay here, we cannot protect you. Believe it or not, I am doing this for you." he looks me straight in the eye.

"Why are you trying to protect me? Why is everybody trying to protect me? I can take care of myself!" I glare.

"This is not Niklaus we're talking about. We're talking about my brother Kol. If he has Stefan, there's no telling what he's done." he says.

"You still haven't answered my question." I say.

"I'm protecting you because you are special. You may not know it now, but someday you will." he smiles.

"What does that even mean?" Damon pipes in. Just then, we all hear a car horn in my driveway.

"That would be Katerina." Elijah says.

"She's going?" I shout.

"She saw Stefan being taken. It's how we knew." Elena puts her hand on my shoulder to calm me.

"Fine, we'll stay here." I say making my way to Damon and embrace him, "Bring him home, Damon. Bring yourself home too. Be safe, my love." I say.

"Sure thing, Kitten. You know me. Heart of a warrior." he smirks then kisses me before letting go. "Turn around and hug Elena. Can you do that for me?" he asks. I nod and do as he says. Elena cradles my head against her shoulder, and now I know why he's asked me to do this.

* * *

Elena and I have decided to sleep in my guest bedroom, mainly to talk.

"What did Damon mean that this isn't your house for long?" she asks.

"Elena, I need to ask you something important." I turn to her.

"Sure. You can ask me anything. You know that." she says.

"How do you feel about me being with Damon?" I ask searching her eyes.

"Kit, this is the happiest I've ever seen him. He's still the same Damon, but he is changed. We can all see it. We actually talked about it when you left The Lockwood Mansion. We're all excited that Damon has someone." she says as her eyes sparkle with delight.

"What would you think about this?" I say, showing her the hand I've been hiding for a week and a half.

"On my God, Kit! What is this? Is this?" she struggles to get out.

"It's my engagement ring." I say, failing to hide the crazy grin that flashes across my face.

"He proposed?" she says sitting up. "It's not supposed to happen this way! It was supposed to be me! How could he do this!?" she shouts.

"Why would you say that? Why would it be you? Do you love him Elena?" I ask feeling my heart shatter piece by piece.

"Kit! Wake up!" I'm being shaken to no end. I open my eyes to find a very worried Elena.

"What? What's going on?" I ask, seeing that it's morning.

"You were having a nightmare. Stefan told me you have them. What was it about?" she asks wild-eyed.

Did I tell her about the engagement? Was our entire conversation a nightmare? I'm not threatened by Elena in the least. Why would I even have a dream like that? "I was getting married to Klaus. Ugh." I lie.

"But, you're supposed to marry Damon?" she raises an eyebrow at me.

"You know?" I ask.

"Kit, we talked for hours about your engagement last night. I'm so happy for you and that ring is so pretty. I can tell Damon thought hard about it being your taste. Are you happy?" she asks,

"I'm beyond happy. I came back with the intentions of performing and then leaving. I knew it wouldn't happen that way, but I hoped it would. I'm actually glad things happened the way they did." I say.

"Why's that?" she asks.

"Because, Damon really proved that I could trust him again. By trusting him and actually being a friend to him, he snuck in and claimed my heart." I say smiling. At that moment, I hear my doorbell from downstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Rushing down stairs in hopes that Damon, Elijah and Katherine have found Stefan, I open the door with a force I never knew I had. A tall, brown-haired woman, wearing high-waist, flared, navy slacks with matching pumps and a caramel top; carrying a big briefcase and a travel bag, breezes past me as if she owns the place.

"God that was a long flight. My head is killing me." she says without a glance to myself nor Elena as she places her briefcase on my kitchen table. Elena and I share the same shoulder shrug. Before I get my question out, she turns to us, "Someone call for a wedding planner?" she smiles brightly. Looking into her eyes and then the color of her hair, "Little Bird?" I ask, finally recognizing her.

"Don't pretend you don't remember me. Get over here." she says hugging me tightly. When we release, I can't help but question her actually being here.

"What are even doing here?" I ask.

"You emailed me and here I am. I'm not alone might I add." she says, matter-of-fact.

"As much as I'm ecstatic that you're here, I emailed you a week ago on an old email address of yours." I say baffled, mainly because I really hoped that it was Damon bringing Stefan home.

"You're still overanalyzing everything, I see." she says. Elena clears her throat to soften the tension.

"Where are my manners? Elena this is one of my greatest and oldest friends, Charlotte. Charlotte, this is my best friend, Elena. She's my fiance's, brother's girlfriend. Now make nice." I say laughing as they greet each other with the same hug me and Charlotte shared just moments ago.

"I don't mean to seem nosy, but why do you call her Little Bird?" Elena asks intrigued.

"You wanna tell her or should I?" Charlotte asks.

"Well, Charlotte and I went to school together before I decided to make a run for it."

"Which I never forgave you for." she crosses her arms.

"She was known as the Devil and Angel on my shoulders."

"Hold on, your little fangirl was the angel on your shoulder. I was the bird who twiddled in your ear to make you do stuff. Hence; Little Bird." she says.

"So you pushed her to do things she wouldn't normally do?" Elena asks.

"I convinced her to go out of her comfort zone. But I never pushed her to do anything bad. If I remember correctly, I was the one to convince you to start performing at school events." she says raising an eyebrow. When did she get so smug?

"Are you trying to take credit for my career?" I say raising an eyebrow back.

"Of course not. I'm just glad you remember who your Little Bird is." she smiles as brightly as she had when she walked in.

"I'll just go get dressed then." Elena starts to walk away, hanging her head.

"No you're not." we say in unison.

"Elena, don't feel left out. She emailed me for wedding purposes. I'm not taking her from you." Charlotte says which makes me smile. She's always been sweet in a conniving kind of way. But, this is the side of her that I always adored.

"What did you mean when you said you weren't alone?" I ask.

"You'll find out soon enough. You look like you just woke up. How about you go get showered up and me and Elena will get acquainted. Sound good?" she gestures with her hands.

"Sounds great. When did you get so mature?" I ask smirking.

"We're only a year apart. Now, go get dressed so we can work on your upcoming nuptials." she shoos me away.

* * *

During my shower, I have time to reflect. I still can't believe that Little Bird is actually here. What did she mean she wasn't alone? It can't mean what I think it means. If it is, then Biri isn't far behind. Oh my God, she's bringing The Trio back together. Biri, of course, was my favorite little fangirl. _"Kit, you have an amazing voice and you make awesome music. In the future, when your dreams come true, even if we aren't close, I will buy every album you produce. That's how much I believe in you." _Her words come back, making me smile. She always stuck by me in school when no one else would. It was almost as if when she looked at me, she saw my future. She didn't care if she was in that future or not. She just knew I'd make it big. That's what I loved about her. She wasn't the type to say, _Remember me when you make it_. When she saw something worth supporting, she poured her heart and soul into it. My music was one of those things. She's the only one to actually know what I was going through at home. The only secret we have that we'll take to our graves, is before I "left" the people who I loved, she talked me out of just running away from home. _I know it's bad there. You shouldn't have to go through any of that. But, before you just run away and let them find you and bring you back, do something to give them a reason for you to go. _My mom's, number whatever, boyfriend was a hardcore alcoholic. Biri, being the Angel she is, she waited with me 'til he was drunk enough to believe anything we told him. She helped me make it look like I'd slept with him so my mom would be so pissed, she'd kick me out. Our plan worked to perfection. I didn't even care that my mom beat me half to death. I said my goodbyes to Charlotte and Biri, and I made my way to Chicago to live with my aunt Gloria.

* * *

After taking my shower, I wrap a towel around myself and head out into my bedroom. On my bed sits Stefan. He's here? Oh, my God, he's actually here!

"Stefan!" I shriek, launching myself toward him. Before I get to him, he grabs me and suddenly I'm pinned against the wall. He has his hand over my mouth and I can't move.

"You keep your mouth shut and I won't hurt you. If I remove my hand from you mouth, will you keep quiet? Blink once for yes and twice for no." he says cold. Something's very wrong with him. Why is he doing this? I blink once and he releases my mouth from his grasp.

"Is Elena here?" he asks. I nod my head.

"Why are you doing this?" I whisper.

"I don't want to hurt you, But, if you talk I will." he says with venom in his words. "We have to go. I'm hoping you go silently. I'm going to release you in hopes that you be a good girl and come with me at your own will." he says it with such vehemence as he lets me go, yet he sounds like he cares.

"I'm not going anywhere with you unless you tell me what's going on Stefan!" I almost shout and dash for the door. As my hand finds the doorknob, I feel something placed on my face and the world around me quickly fades away.


	5. Chapter 5

_Sunday March 6th, 2011_

I'm being jostled awake from whatever this is. I open my eyes to the horror of the fact that I've now been suspended from the ceiling. I look up as carefully as I can to see my wrists have been shackled and suspended from a bar so that my body is in a "Y" shape and I don't touch the floor. I feel liquid being poured on me from above. It's water? Upon opening my eyes again, I notice Stefan standing below me, watching me with the blankest look I've ever seen him wear. He's holding a wand of some sort. He presses a button and it springs to life with electrodes shooting out of the end. What does he think he's doing? I'm naked, soaking wet and I'm human. That'll kill me. Then, another man walks beside him.

"Is she ready for the next phase?" he says and telling by his looks and his accent, this is Kol.

"She's all yours." Stefan says, taking three steps back.

"What are you doing, Stefan?" I strain out.

"You will not address Stefan." he says as he touches the tip of the wand to my big toe, electrocuting me. When he's gotten enough of my screaming, he pulls the wand away.

"See, I told you she was strong enough to handle it." he says to Stefan.

Stefan says nothing, he just looks on.

Kol starts the electrocuting process again, but this time he laughs.

When he stops again, "Why are you doing this? What could I have done to you?" I strain out.

"Dahling, you think I'm doing this for me? I'm rather enjoying this. But, this is in honor of my brother. The one you humiliated. You claimed to love him and threw him away for Damon Salvatore." he says.

"What have you done to Stefan?" I ask.

"Stefan is his own man. He can make his own choices." he snarls.

"You've compelled him. He doesn't give a damn about me now." I strain.

To those words, he starts the process again, but releasing and replacing the wand countless times. Just when I start to feel unconscious, I feel ice-cold water being poured on me in a long stream. As I'm back into the horror that I've found myself in, I hear a phone ring. Stefan reaches into his pocket to retrieve his cell.

"This that your brother?" Kol asks.

"Yes." his answer is so mechanical, as if he's a robot.

"Hand it over." he says. Stefan does what he says and continues to stand stock-still.

"Hello Dahling, I suspect you're looking for your brother and your wench…..Relax, your brother's just fine, now the wench, who broke my brother's heart, she's a different story. Isn't that right?" it's a rhetorical question as water washes over me once more and he places the wand at my feet, unleashing yet another bloodcurdling scream. How am I still alive?

"I think you get the picture…..Elijah? I figured you would be the one to side with the enemy. Does it not bother you that our brother needs us?…You would choose them over your own family?….Niklaus is our brother…...Seems you've made you choice. Live with it." and with that, he starts the process again.

"Actually, I do want you to find us. I'll tell you exactly where we are." he says into the phone. Walking over to Stefan, he hands him the wand. "Show her no mercy, but don't allow her to go unconscious. She'll want to be awake for the fireworks." Kol says, compelling him.

"Stefan, you don't have to do this." I strain.

"Hush now, It'll all be over before you know it." he says and starts the process from the back of my very wet knee and travels to my big toe. Kol did this for fun. But, there's something sadistic in the way Stefan handles the wand, how, where and for how long he places the tip. He's relentless in his type of torture. What seems like hours later, a huge red curtain, that I never noticed, drops all around us.

* * *

"Showtime Dahlings!" I hear from Kol. Trying hard to hear, I hear feet moving extremely fast.

"Stop where you are!" Kol shouts, "Stop, or Stefan will kill the girl."

Suddenly the curtain is opened and through my blurred vision, I see a figured at the entrance.

"Stefan! What are you doing!?" it's Damon. I immediately start crying at the sound of his voice.

"As I've told your wench, you will not address Stefan." Kol says, "Again!" at that one command, Stefan starts the process again. Then, what feels like it's too soon of the pattern that he formed, the electrocution stops.

"Damon." I say weakly. I'm being lowered as I see a different figure shuffling and waves something dark.

"We'll get you, Kitten!" Damon calls to me. I can only assume he's trapped.

My hands are being unlocked and someone wraps me in fabric of some sort.

"Oh my God. Damon, she's soaked in vervain!" the person calls back. Elena?

* * *

I wake up still feeling the effects of being electrocuted so much. I look around to find I'm in my room. Damon's lying on his stomach beside me with his head is propped up on his arms. He's so beautiful when he's asleep. He's beautiful 24/7, but I digress. He looks likes he's been here for hours. Turning on my side, I brush my fingers along his jawbone and he stirs but continues to sleep. I caress his cheek and this time I'm met with those gorgeous blue eyes.

"Damon, I've missed you so much." I strain out. When will my voice be back to normal?

"Kitten. I'm so sorry. This never should've happened to you." he says curling his arms around me, burying his face in my neck.

"This was my fault. I knew Klaus would seek revenge on me. I just didn't think he'd use Stefan to do it." I strain. Damon notices, sits up and passes me the coolest glass of water that's passed my lips in what I assume are days away from him. After I'm done drinking, he pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly.

"This isn't your fault. Nothing you've done should call for being…." he stops and I hear him sniffle. I think it's at the memory of seeing me victim to his own brother.

"Electrocuted? Damon, how is Stefan? How long was I gone? How'd you find me? How'd you get me out?" I ask as my voice returns to normal.

"Elijah, Katherine and I got the call from Elena the day after we left that you were taken. I think Kol wanted us to leave so they'd have easy access to you. Stefan is fine considering he's beating himself up for what he did to you. We looked for you and Stefan for almost two months before someone actually answered Stefan's phone. Kol was standing a floor above you and Stefan. Elijah knew the place so he was able to get to Kol while I distracted his trap. Katherine went in from the side and out of sight. Elijah snapped Kol's neck and got to the lever that lowered you. Katherine vervained Stefan, uncuffed you and wrapped you in her trench coat. We got you and Stefan out. Elijah stayed to confront Kol when he woke." he says all the while stroking my hair.

"Why is Katherine helping us?" I asked.

"As much as I hate the bitch, something about you made her believe in our relationship." he says flat.

"Damon, I wanna see Stefan." I say.

"You sure?" he asks tilting my face up to his.

"I need to, Damon. I'll never be able to face him if I don't." I say.

"How are you feeling?" he asks worried.

"Better than being electrocuted repeatedly. I'll be fine." I say caressing his face.

"Everybody's here. They should be downstairs now. They stayed here for you." he says as I get out of bed, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I'm in a lavender nightgown that hits just above the knee and my hair is brushed to shiny perfection.

I look like I should know nothing of torture, let alone having been tortured.

"You dressed me?" I turn to him.

"You were conscious enough for me to bathe you and wash your hair. The nightgown was the easiest and most comfortable thing I felt you'd sleep well in." he says with that look from earlier.

"Damon, I'm fine now. We're fine. Stop thinking about what you saw." I lean in to caress his face to soothe him.

Finding a cream cardigan and pair of black flats, I put them on and head for the stairs. Damon follows close behind as I reach the bottom step, seeing everybody visibly relax as I enter the room.

Stefan's the first to rise from beside Elena. "Kit, I'm so sorry. I-"

Before he can finish, I walk toward him, load up, and punch him in the face. When he recovers, I slap him with my left hand and then with my right, all the while shouting, "You stupid. Son of. A bitch." before the guys can restrain me.


	6. Chapter 6

"Let me go, I'm calm!" I shout and struggle out of their grasp.

"Let. Her. Go. She can handle this." Damon says from the background.

They release me and I look Stefan in the eye, "That was for allowing yourself to be compelled into torturing me. As long as you understand that, we'll be perfectly fine." I say.

"You forgive me? Just like that? No questions asked?" It's obvious he expected so much more than I'd given him.

"Stefan, the only reason I am forgiving you is because it wasn't you. I know that. But, I promise you, if you ever torture me again, I'll stake you myself." I say and he pulls me into a giant hug.

"I'm so sorry. Thank you for forgiving me." he says as he kisses the top of my head. Looking around I notice someone's missing.

"Where's Charlotte?" I ask.

"I knew it would be tense here, so I told them I'd let them know when you woke up." Elena stands to hug me.

"What the hell is that!?" seeing Caroline being shocked isn't new.

"What's what?" I ask, stepping away from Elena.

"On your finger! What is that?" Caroline questions.

"Oh my God! Is that?" Bonnie stands.

"Is it?" Jeremy chimes in.

"Kit?" Matt is next.

"No freaking way!" says Tyler.

"Damon?" the room fills with chatter as Stefan pulls Damon aside to question him. Looking at my hands, I hadn't even noticed that my engagement ring is back in its rightful place. Alaric stands as if none of this is a shock to him.

Walking over to him, he pulls me into the dining room, out of earshot or the firing range of questions.

He hugs me closer than he's ever done, "I'm so happy for you and Damon. Congratulations." he says in my ear.

Pulling away from him, but not out of his grasp, I'm the one to look shocked. "You knew?" I ask.

"You think Damon and I just drink together? He brought up asking you to marry him, I knew a store." he says.

"Did you help him pick it out?" I ask finding myself toying the buttons of his shirt as he holds me by the waist.

"You think he'd let me? He was so frantic that day. I'd never seen him like that. He nearly ransacked the place until he find the perfect ring. We were in there most of the day. He's very stubborn when he really wants something." he says smiling like he knew the thought that played on my mind.

"You had absolutely nothing to do with this ring?" I ask holding my hand up to him.

"The only thing this ring and I have in common is that it came from the store I know. The rest is all Damon." he smiles brighter.

"He didn't compel anybody for it, did it?" I ask.

"Of course not. He said it'd cheapen the value of what it meant to him." he smiles and I hug him once more before releasing.

I love hearing him talk about his friendship with Damon. It's refreshing and it reminds me that not everybody thinks of him as a selfish jackass.

Walking back into the living room, Damon stands in the center, as if commanding attention. Oddly, everyone has their cell phones out.

He opens his arms for me, which brings a huge smile to my face. I pace over, trying not to run, to him and wrap my arms around him. He kisses my temple and whispers in my ear, "The right time, is now, My Kitten."

Releasing me but keeping me under his arm, I see that all eyes and camera phones are on us.

"Well, as most of you have figured out, this very stubborn, yet lovely woman under my wing has agreed to become my wife. Before any of you object to it, we've already discussed this. We understand that it might be strange or maybe even wrong for a vampire to even consider marrying a human, but I don't wanna live another day without her by my side. I would hope she feels the same for me. I love her as she loves me. If there are no objections, we can continue to our next step of planning this wedding. That being said, Elena where's that champagne?" he calls and Elena, who already knew of the engagement and had planned this scenario with Damon, comes from the kitchen with a tray of champagne flutes and a bottle of champagne that I'm not too familiar with.

After filling all the glasses, we make our toasts to our engagement. Before everyone can drink, I have a toast of my own.

"I know you're all happy for me and Damon. Believe me, I am over the moon. But, everything's moved so fast that we've barely had time to acknowledge what's happened here. What we've lost. I don't want to bring the mood down, but I think we need to discuss the elephant in the room. We need to discuss the missing space in all of our hearts. I wanna toast to Jenna. She was important to us all whether we admit it or not. She's helped us all in some way. We've loved her all the same, some more than others. Honestly, I don't think I'd be standing here next to Damon, as his fiancé if it weren't for her verbally kicking me where I needed it. So, let's make this toast to her, to remember who she was to us." I say.

We all clink our glasses and give our regards to Jenna. Damon and I stay close to Ric, we both know how much he loved her. While Stefan and Bonnie stick by Elena and Jeremy.

"So have you set a date?" we all turn towards the door to see Charlotte and another woman, whom I recognize off the bat.

"Biri!?" I scream, barreling my way to the door and grab her into a bear hug that nearly knocks her to the floor.

"Hey, I'm glad you remember me. I was worried you wouldn't after all this time." she says holding me at arm's length, studying me.

"Are you insane? You saved my life. I'm forever in your debt." I say hugging her again, then greeting Charlotte with a huge hug just for her.

I lead them into the living room and make the formal introductions. My family welcomes them as their own. I had hoped for it. I notice Charlotte and Caroline have obviously gotten along in my absence, no doubt over fashion. Biri sticks close to me but I'm surprised when Bonnie rushes over to hug her furiously. The room is filled with people I love and everyone is getting along amazingly. It's something I've only dreamed of as I stand off to the side watching and basking. Damon and Alaric are exchanging words. Tyler, Jeremy, and Matt are talking about getting a pool table in here somehow. Charlotte and Caroline are showing off their shoes and accessories to each other. Stefan and Elena are huddled on the couch. Bonnie and Biri are laughing and exchanging stories about me.

I feel a presence beside me and I turn to see Elijah standing there.

"Wonderful sight, isn't it?" he asks and I find myself hugging him fiercely, but I'm even more shocked to find him hugging me back. It's not like him at all.

"Are you okay?" I ask when we release.

"My brothers know where I stand. I'm here to protect you. They captured you once, it won't happen under my watch again." he says looking me in the eye.

"What did you mean when you said that I was special?" I ask remembering his words before he and Damon left that night.

"You are special in multiple ways, Kitana." he says with the consistency of velvet. Why does the way he says my name get to me? "You will come to learn the reasons why one day." he says as we watch the action in front of us. "You've never been in a room of people who loved you, have you?" he asks noticing my smile.

"I had an amazing childhood before my father passed. After that, things just went downhill. This is the most love I've felt in one area, and it's all for me and each other." I say.

"Then savor this moment. You never know what it can do for you when you need it most." he says.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Come on Kit! It's over here! Hurry up!" my friend Connor calls to me._

_I'm about 8 years old. We are running through a field. Apparently, he's found a horse and has brought it apples and carrots everyday to the old Smith barn._

_"Kitana! Come on!" he calls again._

_He reaches the barn and rushes in with such excitement._

_"Horsey! Where are you?" I hear him call. Then, I hear him crying._

_I rush in to find out why my friend is crying. I find him sitting in a stack of hay._

_"He's not here! He's gone!" he cries, looking at me._

_I hear something fall behind me. Whirling around I see the oldest Smith boy._

_He walks over to me and caresses my face, "What brings you into my hideout, Little Maven?"_

_"Connor found a horse." I say excitedly._

_"Did he now? I think I've found something better." he says with a look in his eyes._

_"What's better than a horse?" I say looking up at him._

_"You'll find out soon enough." he says as he bends and takes me over his shoulder._

_"Hey! You leave my friend alone!" I hear from Connor, who comes barreling from the hay he's been sitting in. he starts to pound away in attempt to free me. "Let her go!" He screams._

_"Mind your own damn business and get lost kid." he says as he pushes Connor to the floor and leaves with me kicking and screaming._

* * *

"Kit! Wake up! Kit!" I hear frantic shouting as I'm being shaken.

"Kit! Please wake up!" I feel a cold clothe on my face. I wake so violently that I almost throw myself out of bed. I'm being grabbed and held as I struggle not knowing.

"Kit, you're safe. You're with me. You're safe." the voice says. To those words, I calm immediately. My eyes adjust to my surroundings. I realize Damon is the calm that holds me so tight. I grab his face and gaze into his eyes. I pull him to me until we're lying flat on the bed.

"You left me. Why'd you leave me? Please don't leave me." I mutter uncontrollably.

He turns on the bed so that my head rests on his chest and he runs his fingers through my hair.

"I'm so sorry. I was only gone for a few minutes. I'm sorry." he says as I start to cry remembering the time and place of my nightmare. He pulls my face to his and he just holds me there gazing into my wild eyes.

"Please tell me what these nightmares are about?" he asks.

"I can't Damon. I'm not ready for you to know that part of me." I say.

"Does Stefan know?" he asks looking hurt.

"No. Stefan doesn't know." I say.

He closes the space and kisses me. I struggle to keep my eyes open to remind myself that it's Damon and not the man from my nightmares. When he pulls away, I feel the energy in the room change completely. I take the opportunity and I pounce. I kiss him everywhere: his face, arms, chest, sternum, all the while making my trip south to claim him.

The second I make my intentions known, he grabs my chin and tilts my head to catch my eyes.

"Kit, you've never, ever done this with me. Are you sure about this?" he breathes out.

"Damon, I need this." I breathe, "Please, don't talk me out of it."

He goes quiet as I restart the entire process of kissing every inch of his body until I'm met by my destination. Thankfully, we came to bed in next to nothing tonight. When my eyes meet what I want most, seeing that I'm not the only one who's happy to see it up close, I waste no time at all. I take hold of him in my hand and begin to stroke him. He lets out a stream of staggered breaths. When his breathing becomes shallow, I take him into my mouth and begin to work. I hear a moan escape his throat as I pick up my pace, bobbing my head, swirling my tongue all around. I feel him lose all control as he moans the loudest, sexiest moan I've ever heard. As I continue my relentless movements, he grabs my head and stiffens. He groans loud and long, then I taste him. He tastes divine and I wonder what held me from doing this before. _Because you're Damaged._ He pulls me up the length of his body and flips so that he's looking down at me.

"Are you okay?" he breathes.

Shushing him with a single finger to his lips, I pull him into an embrace. Finding his leverage, he fills me slowly, entirely, and completely. He moves with an intensity I've never felt from him. Quicker than I desired, I begin to come undone. As he moves relentlessly pushing me onward and upward, I understand what he's doing. He's making up for the time we'd lost when I was taken. He quickens the pace even more. The world around me begins to crumble when he lifts me so that we're face to face. He starts another rhythm that's so much deeper and equally relentless. I throw my head back in total ecstasy. He reaches up to bring me back to him.

"I want to see your eyes. I don't want you hiding from me." he breathes.

"You making up. For lost time. I get that. You like. Torturing me. Like this. Don't you?" I breathe through my moaning, meeting his rhythm perfectly.

"It's the best form of torture wouldn't you think? You're not getting away from me this time." he breathes.

Just as I'm about to explode into oblivion, we fall back onto the bed. He rests his weight on me as he moves, really moves. Everything fades into nothingness as I find my extreme pent-up release, while screaming his name. He follows, burying his face in my neck as he finds his release groaning a garbled version on my name, the sexiest version of my name I've ever heard. Still holding on to me he gets out of bed and throws us against the wall.

"What are you doing?" I breathe while laughing.

"You thought I was done with you? With this? We're just getting started. I meant what I said. You're not getting away from me this time." he breathes and kisses me. "We're finally taking every room in this house. Starting with the stairs." he says.

* * *

I wake the next morning gloriously naked and resting entirely on an equally naked and glorious Damon in front of our closed refrigerator. I notice a can of whipped cream nestled in his hand. Which would explain why I'm feeling sticky. Checking my surroundings, I notice a pair of shoes before me. Looking up but, still hiding my bits, I see Elijah standing there with a towel, my robe, and a grin on his face.

"You two look like you had quite the night." he says handing my robe and the towel over to me. I kiss Damon's lips before lightly slapping him awake.

I'm met with those eyes that can make me lose control with a single look.

"Mmm, good morning, beautiful." he smiles brightly, bringing the whipped cream to his mouth and giving himself a shot. "Want some or are you done with your enticing little game?" he says looking to the can I used on him earlier this morning.

"We're not alone." I say jutting my chin in Elijah's direction. He looks up and groans.

"Do you not have anything better to do than sneak in on us?" he asks visibly annoyed as he sits up with me in his arms.

"If I'm not mistaken, Your fiancé is of great importance to my brother. I'm here to ensure her safety. Seeing as how you handle her." he says.

"Oh Elijah, you don't have to be so stiff about it. We're all adults here." I say standing after I've wrapped my rope around myself.

"What did you do last night, other than the obvious?" he asks as Damon's wrapped his towel around himself and stands.

We look at each other smiling like idiots and back to Elijah, "Nothing." we shrug.

Pulling me to him, he kisses me, "You go shower, I'll be up in a minute." he says as he slaps my behind making me shriek.


	8. Chapter 8

_Sunday May 22nd, 2011_

"What do you mean you don't want anything to do with the preparations!?" I shout at Damon.

"I want the wedding to be exactly how you want it. As long as we both show up, I could care less how everything looks." he says.

"You're not getting out of this, Damon! You're planning this wedding with me, whether you like it or not!" I shout again.

"What do you want me to do?" he asks looking exasperated.

"I want your input! I want you to have a say in this! Is that too much to ask?" I ask as Biri and Charlotte look on.

"What you do want me to do?" he asks again.

"Pick a damn color, a pattern, a flower. Damn it Damon! This is your wedding too! I'm not planning this entire event while you stand on the sidelines and watch!" I shout rising from the couch and stomp away, throwing the swatches to the floor.

"Kitten, don't go all bridezilla on me." he stands.

"Bridezilla? Wanting my future husband to have a say in what our wedding looks like is being a bridezilla!?" I turn to him and ask feeling hurt.

"Don't be like that. I just don't think my input would matter. I want you to have your dream wedding. I want the wedding that you planned as a little girl." he says taking my shoulders. _When I was a little girl? _I immediately slap the dark thought back in its place.

"My dream wedding is knowing that you had something to do with it. My dream wedding is knowing that you did this for me. I don't want a wedding where you just let me go off to do what I want, Damon. I want you here with me. Planning this wedding with me. Every step of the way. Can you do this for me?" I ask searching his eyes.

"I don't think anything I'd have to say would help. We have wedding planners, Kitten. They know what they're doing. Let them do their job." he says.

"They wanna know what we want. Why are you making this so difficult?" I ask searching his eyes.

"Kitten, you've met me. You know I wouldn't be good at any of this. Do what you want, the way you want." he says.

"Damn it, Damon! It's like pulling teeth with you! You ask me to marry you and then you want nothing to do with any part of planning it? You knew this would be an event. Why are you side stepping me at every turn?" I ask.

"You know why, Kitten." he says slightly hanging his head.

"Are you freaking kidding me right now!? You pick now to have a masculinity issue!? Fine, I'll give you one."

"What are you talking about?" he cuts me off.

"For that past few months, when have I done anything without your input? I redecorated my entire house to fit both of our tastes with you by my side. You were perfectly fine then."

"I was the one moving everything." he cuts me off again and I only get angrier.

"Fine, you did the heavy lifting. And now you feel that picking a simple color or a simple flower would make you any less of a man? You wanted to be a dick to me about telling our family, our loved ones, about our engagement. I can play that game to, Damon. You don't want any part of this? Fine! I don't want a damn wedding!" I shout turning on my heel when he grabs my arm.

"Kit, stop. You're making this into so much more than it is. Stop and breathe. Look at you right now. You're practically boiling." he says.

"You're right. I am boiling. You were a dick to me about the engagement. I can be a bitch about the wedding. And trust me when I say, you don't wanna see the bitch in me, Damon. Because, if I have to go there, you won't just be frustrated, you'll be completely deprived of all contact, physical and verbal." I snarl, reaching the tipping point of my anger.

"Didn't I catch a glimpse of it when you left all those years ago?" Is he serious right now?

"No, that was a weak little girl who couldn't hold her liquor." I leer at him.

Sighing and running his hand through his hair, "Ok, I'll do this for you. I'll help." he says.

"Was that so hard? Why is everything a pissing contest with you?" I ask.

"Because, you're the only one who still smiles when the dust settles.." he says as he pulls me to him and puts his forehead to mine.

"This wedding isn't gonna happen without you." I say wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Where do we start?" he asks turning to the two women who've been patiently watching my tirade, as we sit once more.

"Red or Blue?" Charlotte asks holding up backup swatches. She came prepared.

"I pick red. You look deliciously sexy in red, Kitten." he says looking at me.

"But, you look damn sexy in blue." I say taking his hand and he immediately toys my ring.

"Let's remember that the dress will be white." Biri says being the voice of reason.

"Who made that rule? Why does it have to be white?" Damon asks finding himself more invested than he thought possible.

"I do have a dress in mind." I smile brightly and bend to take a folded paper out of my boot. Handing it to them, their eyes widen with excitement.

"I think we can make this dress happen. I know some top designers who could find or remake this dress." Charlotte says.

"This is elegant and sexy. Are you sure this is the dress you want?" Biri asks.

"More than anything!" I respond wide-eyed. It's a gorgeous red wedding dress with white underbrush. I loved it the instant I saw it.

They whisper to themselves for a minute, then they turn to us, "Damon, you have your color. Red it is." Char says.

"We're gonna go see about finding this dress and having it made. You can't be too careful when it comes to the wedding dress of your dreams. We'll inform you of our findings in a couple of days." Biri says.

As we walk them out, Damon's phone starts to ring.

Taking me in his arms, he checks the number, "Hello Brother…..It's ready now?….How convenient. We just got through the first official step of planning our wedding…We'll be there in a few." he hangs up smiling down at me.

"What was that about?" I ask toying the buttons of his shirt.

"That, My Kitten, was the confirmation of a surprise that we have for you." he says.

"Surprise?" my curiosity resurfaces after being hushed by my torturous time away.


	9. Chapter 9

In Damon's car, we drive up to a building that I've noticed having work done the past few weeks. I've seen things being brought in or taken out. But, it never wasn't busy here.

"What are we doing here?" I ask as we walk up to the door.

"I told you, Kitten. It's a surprise." he smiles like a little boy hiding a huge secret and opens the door for me.

"You know my curiosity too well, you know that?" I smile, slug him in the gut and walk in. I'm in a hall with framed posters of….me. Posters of me on stage in various poses. Me, rocking out with the crowd. Me, looking like an angel in the midst of a ballad. Me, doing my thing on the guitar. I guess it surprises you when you don't Goggle yourself at all. I turn to Damon in complete shock and awe.

He holds up a finger and points further down the hall, "Not yet. Keep going." he says and I continue down the hall. I start to hear my song "No Better Pain Than Love", the first song that I wrote in completion when I left Mystic Falls. I reach a door at the end and I turn back to Damon. He nods that I've reached my destination. I open the door and walk into a mini-heart attack.

"Surprise!" All the people I've grown to love wholeheartedly shout out to me, filling a rather large recording studio.

"A studio? My own studio? You did this?" I turn to Damon with excitement in my eyes.

"Well, I know you've dissolved your business with the record company you were working for. So, we all thought that you could make a new start here." he smiles and turns me to the room.

"That's not all we have for you." Elena says smiling.

"This is amazing. What more could I ask for?" I shrug, looking around.

From the crowd emerge Biri and Bonnie, "The B Click" I call them, holding what looks like a poster from the hall.

"I swear, if that's a poster of-"

"Nope." everyone says in unison.

"Remember when I told you I'd always be here for you if you made it big or not?" Biri asks in her little quirky way.

"How could I forget, you little fangirl?" I smirk at her.

They rip the paper off and my jaw immediately drops.

"Boom. Platinum." Tyler says fist bumping Matt. Caroline slaps him on the back and Jeremy just laughs at them.

"Rock Redemption reached platinum status?" I say holding the award.

I receive a number of congrats and hugs from everyone. As everyone goes about chatting with each other I hear over my shoulder.

"It's an amazing feeling when you know you've done something great, isn't it?" Damon observes.

"I see me writing about my pain really pays off." I nudge him.

"Maybe I should piss you off more often, then." he smiles.

"Don't you dare." I say grabbing him and kissing him. Everyone takes notice and awes and we all fall into laughter.

"You think I can run a record label by myself?" I ask, remember his _make a new start_ comment.

"I know you can. Kitten, you have all the talent in the world. I've heard you sing. I've seen you dance, and you can dance."

"I gave you a run for your money in that department." I cut him off.

"You never gave me the chance to really dance with you." he laughs.

"Stop that. We dance all the time and I still dance circles around you."

"I could dance circles around you if you weren't so domineering." he nudges me.

"Stop saying that. I am not domineering." I leer as I backhand his chest.

"Let's not forget the designer of this crafty studio." I hear Charlotte's voice behind us. Turning around to hug her, I notice she has two bottles of champagne. Bollinger, now that's a champagne I'm familiar with.

"Char, what don't you do? You're planning my wedding. You designed the studio. What don't you do?" I ask taking a bottle from her.

"I'm a florist too, if you must know. I went to a great college. I'm well taken care of." she says smiling. "Check this out." she says walking over the far off wall revealing a keypad. She presses a code and stands back. Our jaws drop as a full bar rotates from the wall. "Who's ready to party?" she says with her sexy little voice.

After hours of drinking and dancing, they all convince me to do an impulse recording. I explain how the sound board works, the simplest way i can manage, and I take advantage of the one thing I don't have for my wedding and I call Caroline into the booth with me. She follows suit and soon we have a pretty decent track for being done on the spot. While the others are listening to it again and tweaking it to their liking, I pull Caroling to the bar.

"I wanted to ask you something important." I say pouring us each a Margarita that Ric made.

"Anything. You know that." she says.

"I want you to sing at the wedding. What we just did was, you proving to me that you can sing cold. Would you do it?" I ask.

"Kit, I don't know. You want me to sing at your wedding? What if there are cameras and paparazzi there?" she freaks.

"The paps won't be anywhere near the wedding. Caroline, I know you can do it. We'll come in here every week, just you and me. We'll pick a song and you'll learn it. You'll condition it and you'll sing at my wedding. Please Care, I don't want anyone else." I give her the puppy dog eyes.

"You do know it's not fair being that I went from ultimate fan to..."

"To a very cherished friend. Please Care." I beg.

"Okay fine. I'll do it. Only because I love you." she smiles.

"Fan love or friend love?" I tease.

"Both. You know that." she laughs. Tyler pokes his head out of the recording area.

"I thought you two ran off. What's going on here?" he asks, pacing toward us and taking Caroline in his arms.

"She's agreed to sing at my wedding." I smile.

"Awesome. Is she singing as a fan or friend?" he smirks.

"We've already covered that. Remember how we met?" I poke at him.

"You almost kicked my ass that day." he laughs.

"You shouldn't be so handsy." I laugh.

"The _Douche Tyler Era_ that we all hated." Caroline smirks at him.

Thankfully she already knows the tale of our meeting.


	10. Chapter 10

We've all made our way to Elena's to finish up our get-together. Everybody's chatting about what they've been doing and what they'll be doing later on.

According to Charlotte she wants to do the fittings for the wedding next week. I haven't understood why we'd do that for a September wedding. Damon and I chose the 9th for our wedding. The date is symbolic to us because it's the day we met. Damon and I are huddled on the couch enjoying the flutter of people around us. I love saying that I have a family that I love and cherish. This is what life's been for me lately, being surrounded by people who I love, that love each other. Ever since the dust settled from our encounters with Kol, things have been pretty slow. We've concentrated all our energies on our wedding, and honestly everything is mostly done. Damon and I haven't had to lift a finger for much of anything, other than what we really wanted. I'm picking the bridesmaid dresses and bouquets. Damon's picking the tuxes and the cake.

_"I don't care what you say, You wanted me to have input and I say I'm picking the cake." he says as we stand in the local cake shop._

_"You're kidding right? You wanna pick the cake?" I ask pretty shocked._

_"I know I'm the picture of studly perfection but, I happen to be very in touch with my cake picking skills." he smirks._

_"Of course "The Eternal Stud" emerges. Do you know what kind you want?" I ask still astonished._

_"Yep. I'm not telling you." he continues his smirk._

_"And why not?" I ask fake pouting._

_"My secret." he says wiggling his eyebrows at me._

_"Fine. As long as you're into it, I'm happy." I smile and hug him._

_"I'm happy to." he smiles and kisses me._

I didn't think he'd be so into picking the cake. He still hasn't told me what kind it is. I know what it'll look like and it's gorgeous. It'll fit so well with the red theme Charlotte and Biri have put together. As I'm sitting and watching my family chat and have friendly arguments with each other about who should be the maid of honor and the best man, I notice something that should've been painfully obvious. I see Charlotte and Biri talking and laughing like we used to in school, and I'm almost certain it's not about the wedding. But, in the corner I see Alaric's eyes are glued to them. I've seen this from him since they showed up, but I never really paid any mind to it. Who is he watching? Which one does he have his sights set on? Or does he like them both?

"Who are you watching?" Damon whispers in my ear. I'm sitting sideways on his lap with my legs curled around his as he catches me glancing toward the kitchen.

How can I not be interested in this? Alaric is literally undressing one or both of my oldest friends with his eyes right now. I have to know.

"I think Ric has found an object for his affection." I smile.

"It never pays to be nosy, Kitten." he brushes my nose with his finger.

"You do it all the time. To me!" I say feigning shock.

"It's different for me. I can hide my curiosity." he smirks.

"I don't wanna be a vampire." I say scrunching my nose at him.

"I never asked you to be. Don't start that argument again. I've told you the story about how I felt when I turned. Can we please drop it?" he asks.

"It's dropped. Are you gonna ask Ric who he's into?" I ask.

"It's his business. Let him have this one thing. If he likes someone, let's not badger him about it." he says.

"It's either Biri or Charlotte." I say peaking his interest.

"Really?" He asks intrigued, "Kitten, they're both beautiful women. It's time for him to move on. Let him decide which one he likes. Let it go, for now." he says kissing me before I can say anything else.

He seems so calm and content. I'm not used to it and I don't think I ever will be. He's usually so worked up about something, but lately he's just been, well happy. I'm noticing things are calm and quiet with everyone. Too quiet which makes me worry. When things are quiet, something usually blows up in our faces. We haven't seen or heard from Kol since he tortured me. We also haven't seen Klaus since I told him the truth about my feelings for Damon. It worries me that Stefan of all people isn't in the least concerned with any of this. I refuse to think I'm just working myself up into a frenzy. I just know the second I let my guard down, something or someone's gonna take all the happiness that I've worked so hard to achieve, and everyone will be scarred by it.

* * *

_Wednesday June 1st, 2011_

It's a little over three months until the wedding. We're all at the bridal and tux shop, finally picking the tuxes and bridesmaids dresses. The guys are in their wing and us girls are in ours. I've picked the bridesmaid gowns and I'm so in love with them. Damon and I decided that we're not having a best man or maid of honor. There are too many supernatural beings to make that decision. Biri and Char are made of magic, I'm sure of it. I've already tried on and loved the dress from the photo I gave them. Seriously, this dress makes me feel so damn sexy. I wanna make love to this dress, on this dress, and in this dress, that's how much I love it. But, they've insisted that I try on an additional dress as a back up. Just in case my dream dress gets lost or ruined, which I'm pretty sure someone's throat's being ripped out if that happens. I'll be doing the ripping personally.

I make my way back into the dressing room with the huge garment bag in hand. Upon opening it I notice that it's so much simpler, but bigger than the dress I now have, but it fit's the theme perfectly. It's white with red trim, the perfect backup. I stand in the 3-way mirror twirling all around feeling like a princess. Among the curtained walls, I notice that something is very off. There's shuffling. Before I decide to check it out or follow my instincts to run like hell, the shuffling turns into movement towards me and I immediately fall to floor.

"You know, when I walked by this establishment, I wasn't sure that it was you I saw in the glass, but here you are in the flesh." he says pacing towards me.


	11. Chapter 11

"Why are you here, Klaus?" I say looking up at him.

"You have the innate habit of not listening to a word I say." he says pacing towards me.

"You know the truth now. Why don't you just leave?" I whisper.

"Don't worry love, no one will hear you. I've compelled the help." he smirks then sneers. "Is that a wedding dress or are you here for fun?" he continues to sneer at me.

"I'm getting married, Klaus. I told you I loved Damon and he loves me." I say.

"That simply won't do now will it?" he asks as if he's really asking himself.

All too suddenly, he bends and grabs me by my shoulders and pulls me to my feet making me shriek. Before I can recover, he's pushed me against a wall and forces himself on me. He has both my hands in one of his and he holds my face with the other. He fights with me to kiss me and being he's so strong, he wins.

"Mmm I love that you always taste like strawberries." he says with his face against mine. I can feel his smile.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask trying and failing to struggle.

"Because, I miss you, sweetheart." he says as I feel his hand lowering the zipper at my back and I try desperately to fight him off. This is what he wants?

"Stop this! You're acting crazy!" I shout, hoping someone, anyone can hear me.

"Love can make you do crazy things, or has no one told you?" he says literally ripping the dress off of me and it pools at my feet.

"This is how you want me? In a bridal shop dressing room? You wonder why you disgust me?" I say, all but spitting in his face. He takes me by my hair and throws me to the floor and out of the dress.

"You think I want to be this way towards you? Do you think I want you to look at me as a monster? I don't. It's who I am. I will never change." he says as he looms over me.

"Then, why don't you just leave me the hell alone?" I shout.

"Because I'm drawn to you. I know it's not the best thing to say, but it's the truth. I need you with me. I haven't been able to breathe without you." he flops to the floor and puts his head in his hands. "Ever since Chicago, I've been trying and trying to figure out a way to win you back. I don't say the right things. I don't act the way you want. And apparently, I disgust you. I need you more than I've ever needed anyone and I don't understand why." he says with his head down.

"You have a hell of a way of going about it. I'm not going to feel sorry for you, Klaus. You've proven to me who you are and I don't want any part of you. You should've just let me go when I told you about my feelings for Damon. I'm engaged now. Deal with that." I say which brings another snarl from him. He stands, grabs me and sends us flying across the room to the other side. We hit the wall and I scream. He holds my hands high above my head and he positions himself between my legs. This entire scene just brings me back to one place and time in my past. I flash back to the dark area of my mind and the horror and bile rise in my throat. Through my blurred haze of hurt and disgust, he kisses me all over my face, neck, anywhere he can reach. Taking both my hands in one of his, he reaches down to wrap my right leg around him so he can have better leverage. He rips my bridal bustier off of me, sending it flying across the room. He takes the opportunity and explores my entire body the best he can. I feel movement below and I know he's reaching for his fly. Returning from the darkness that's loomed over me, I find his removed my panties and has positioned himself at the point of entry. Before I understand what's about to happen, the most guttural, bloodcurdling scream escapes my throat, "Please, stop!"

Just then, the door flies open, exposing a very furious Damon.

"What the hell is going on here?" he growls entering the room and closing the door behind him, locking it. Klaus releases me, situating himself and I fall to the floor crying. Damon stoops to check on me briefly after he shrugs out of his shirt and covers me with it.

He flies across the room and the first punch is thrown.

"What are you doing here, Klaus!?" he growls again.

"You don't know how to treat her! You're all wrong for her and you know it!" Klaus snarls. He's delusional as always when it comes to me.

"I don't know how to treat her!? I burst in here to catch you trying to rape my fiancé, And I don't know what's best for her!?" he yells the loudest I've ever heard him. I hear beating and shouting on the other end of the door, but they don't seem to care. It's not long before there's an all out war playing out in front of me. They do everything but come near me. I've huddled myself in the corner not caring about their fighting. I'm stuck in the nightmare that I've only lived in dreams for so many years. I hear them burst through the mirrors and vaguely I see the door fly open again. The guys rush in and they check the scene. Seeing what I must look like, they all jump on Klaus like a pack of dogs. Next the girls charge in and find me in the corner. They find my day dress that I came with and they help me to get dressed the best they can. Saying nothing, Caroline scoops me into her arms and heads for my house at vamp speed.

Reaching my front door, I shrug out of her arms and burst through it and bolt for the downstairs bathroom. Turning on the shower, I strip out of everything, jump in and close the shower curtain. Instead of actually bathing, I sit under the hot stream and cry the way I'd done only moments before. Why does this have to happen when we're so happy? Why after all this time does this still haunt me? Why now?

"Kit? Are you okay?" Caroline knocks at the door. I don't answer.

"Kit, what happened?" she persists. Then, I hear her phone ring.

"Elena, she's not doing good at all. She won't talk to me…No, she's locked herself in the bathroom, I think…..She's pretty freaked out…What happened, Elena? What did Klaus do to her?…Please, just get Damon and get over here, I don't know what she'll do next. I'm scared for her…Damon?…..she's not doing good. Please, get here now…Okay, I'll keep her calm the best I can." I hear her entire one-sided conversation.

She twists the doorknob to find that I haven't locked it.

"Oh my God, Kit."

"Don't come in here!" I scream shakily. I hear her back out and close the door again, then I hear something placed by the door. I'm guessing she's pulled up a chair to wait for my next move.

A while later, I hear a commotion outside and I hear the door slowly open. In my state of complete shock, I see a hand reach into the shower and pull the curtain back revealing an all too worried Damon.


	12. Chapter 12

He visibly slumps, "What happened? What did he do to you, Kitten?" he says, knowing full well what happened, as he reaches in to take me and I inch away from him and hug my knees. "No Kitten, please don't hide from me. You're safe with me, don't you know that? Please let me take you out of here. I can keep you safe."

"Keep?" the only word I've really heard. That word that haunts me still to this day.

"Kitten, please." he reaches again I just stare at his hands, His eyes say it all. He's desperately trying to find the words, anything to get me to trust him.

"Keep. He wanted to keep me. He can't keep me. I can't let him. He can't keep me. Keep." I mutter aimlessly.

"Klaus is gone, Kitten. He can't hurt you. He can't keep you ever. I'd never let him." he says gesturing to me.

"Not Klaus. Him. I dream about him when I'm alone. He's always there watching me. He's waiting for me. He's not done with me." I mutter.

"Who is? Who's Him?" he asks. He shuts off the water and he climbs in, clothes and all, facing me.

"He's there always. His eyes haunt me when I'm all alone. He's there always. _Ever morn and every night, some are born to sweet delight. Every night and every morn, some to misery are born_." I continue muttering.

"What is happening to you?" he says, struggling with himself not to take me in his arms as I just stare blankly.

"Damon, I have an idea. I think I can get her out of here. She might trust me." Caroline says from the door. He waves her in and she stands next to the tub and stretches her arms out to me. "Kit, sweetie? It's me Caroline. Do you wanna come with me?" she asks smiling. I look to her for a few moments, then i stretch my arms out willing to go with her anywhere.

She lifts me out of the tub and I slowly start to snap back into reality.

"Where am I taking her?" Caroline asks.

"Take her to our bedroom. I think I can get her to focus in there." he says.

Soon I'm sitting on our bed, being wrapped in a towel and Damon thanks Caroline and walks her downstairs.

"You can't fix me you know." I say looking off into the distance as he cautiously paces back into the room.

"Are you really here? Are you ready to talk about this? How are you feeling?" he asks sitting on the edge of the bed, careful to not touch me.

"You don't have to distance yourself. I won't freak out again." I say eyeing him.

"Please tell me what's going on. I'm done being in the dark. I wanna help you any way I can. At least tell me why you have nightmares." he looks at me in desperation.

"Damon, I can't-"

"You can. You need to rid yourself of these demons. You'll never live a normal life if you don't." he says and for some reason, all I can do is laugh.

"And what's so funny? Kit, you've just gone through a horrible ordeal." he looks stunned but hurt.

"Don't you see? We can never have a normal life, Damon. Remember?" I say and make a vampire face and he smiles the first time since earlier today. I've been out of it for a long time. It's now dark out.

"You're irresistibly cute, but we're not playing this distraction game. I wanna know once and for all. I can handle it. Whatever it is." he says, his face falling again.

"I need time, Damon. I don't know what you'd think of me if you knew. Please, just give me time." I say.

"After everything that's happen today, you still dodge me? Do you not trust me? How much time could you possibly need? He thinks because he's a hybrid that he can walk all over us! What will it take for you to trust me enough before you tell me? How long before he finds you vulnerable enough to take advantage of you again?" he shouts so loud it makes me jump.

"It never should've happened the first time! I was a kid! I was a defenseless kid! I'd never done anything to anyone and the one thing I had left was taken from me!" I gasp when I realize I've basically spilled my guts. I start to cry uncontrollably and resign to finishing what I've started. "I couldn't defend myself at all. I had no idea what was going on. He took me and ran with me into the woods. He was such a scumbag and everybody in town knew it. He was a loser who would've done anything and screwed over anyone for a good time. I was that ultimate high for him that day. He told me that. He told me I could give any woman a run for her money as he did what he had to do to me. _Every morn and every night, some are born to sweet delight. Every night and every morn, some to misery are born. _He taunted me with that for years after that. I never knew what it meant. I hear it in my nightmares. He's always there, watching and waiting. He'll never let me go." my voice goes silent as I cry the last tears I could shed for this subject. How will Damon react? Half expecting him to embrace me, I look him in the eye as he processes what I've just revealed.

In a flash, he takes off. I can't believe my eyes as I realize he's actually left. In shock, I jump out of bed after him and resign to stay put. I walk over to our dresser and pull on a pair of pajama shorts and a matching tank that Elena loaned me once. I position myself in the middle of the bed and I lay there hoping he'll come back. I can't rush this and go looking for him. He needs time to process everything. I'll give him that.

I've struggled the entire night not to sleep. I won't suffer in this nightmare anymore. I can't see his face again. I need my love. I need to feel his strong arms, my security blanket, wrapped around me. I need to feel him next to me. As ironic as it is, he keeps the darkness away. He keeps _Him_ away. I need him more than I've ever needed anybody in my entire life. Damon is my life line. He's what keeps me sane, even when he drives me crazy. I can't imagine ever being without him, unlike now when I want him so badly.

I hear a thud as the doorknob turns and the door opens violently. Then, I see Damon stumbling in and he falls to the floor.


	13. Chapter 13

Jumping out of bed, I rush over to him. I reach around him to help him up and he looks at me with a glazed look in his eyes. I manage to get him off the floor and somehow his vamp speed does the rest. I take off his boots and his socks and as I wrestle him out of his jacket, he grabs the back of my neck, brings my forehead to his and slurs, "My Kitten."

"Oh God, you're drunk." he smells like an entire bar and I only assume he's been to the grill or with Ric or both.

"You're sexy." he slurs, reaching to grab my behind as I fight to get him out of his shirt, which I only unbutton.

"Damon, you're drunk and you're not making this any easier." I try to speak to the rational part of his mind. Of course, I know he's drunk, but I can try.

"My sexy Kitten." he slurs, pulling me onto the bed with him and holds me against his chest.

"Damon, you have to let me change your clothes. You smell like a bar." I say still trying to reach him.

"I love you. So much." he slurs and groggily turns and literally pins me to the bed. I take the opportunity to take his shirt off.

"Mmm, someone wants sex." he smiles slyly. Won't he stop talking and let me take care of him for once? I figure I have to let him believe whatever he wants to get him to give in.

"Yes. Let me undress you so we can have lots and lots of sex." I say hoping he'll comply.

"I can do it." he slurs as he sits up, straddling me, to unbuckle his belt as he teeters backward.

"Easy Damon, you're gonna fall." I say grasping at him to study him, which he jerks away and falls off the bed anyway.

Rubbing my palm to my forehead, I accept that this is gonna be a long night. I sit up and sure enough he's out cold on the floor. Pulling the duvet off the bed, I lay on the floor and cozy up to him, covering us.

* * *

The next morning, I find that he's moved us to the bed and my head rests on his chest.

"Damon?" I ask when he wakes up.

"What happened last night? I remember us talking and I left." he says caressing my face.

"Why'd you leave?" I ask.

"I needed some air." he says flat.

"You can tell me if you went feed." I say turning slightly.

"No, Kit. I didn't feed. I did see Ric though. He stopped me from doing something that I should've done a long time ago." he says even flatter.

"What were you gonna do? Damon, you came in here drunk off your ass. I caused that." I say caressing his face while trying to hold back my tears.

"You have no reason to blame yourself. You did nothing wrong. I'm so sorry I left. I just didn't know what else to do. I'm slowly realizing that I may never be able to protect you the way you need. That thought sent me to Ric hoping he'd come with me to kill Klaus once and for all. I have to get him out of your life. We can never have peace until I know you're safe, for good." he says as he blinks away his own tears.

"Hey, I'm fine. We're fine. You were right. I needed to get it out. I never talked about it to anyone since it happened. I'd hoped to take it to my grave. You were right as usual. You do protect me. I just get myself in the worst situations. You can't be in all places at all times." I say holding him close.

"But, I should be by your side at all times. I can't bear the thought of someone, anyone hurting you or touching you. I could've easily gone out and ripped open every vein in my path. I could've easily gone to Klaus instead of going to Ric. But, I didn't because of you. I saw your face everywhere. The look you had in the shower. I wanted to make that look go away. I want these nightmares to go away. I want you to be well." he says quietly as if choosing his words carefully.

"Damon you're here. You're all I need to be well. You do make the nightmares go away. You chase away all the bad in me. When you're with me, I don't have a care in the world. I'm free and I don't have to worry about anything. You're my light, Damon, no matter what you may think. I love you more than anything. You are what holds me together. How many times do I have to say it before you believe me?" I ask as he slowly takes in my words.

"Who was he?" he asks looking me in the eye. Has he not word a word I've said?

"Damon, it doesn't matter who he was." I say.

"How can you say it doesn't matter? You were a little girl and this asshole raped you!" he says working himself in yet another frenzy.

"It doesn't matter because he's dead." I say bringing his face to mine in an attempt to calm him.

* * *

_Tuesday August 9th, 2011_

It's exactly one month before the wedding and people have already started to come into town for it. I've read dozens of articles in the paper headlined with, _"Teen Pop Sensation Turned Rock Star To Wed Local Philanthropist" _referring to Damon's help around town and to restore the Wickery Bridge. There are websites devoted to finding out every detail of the wedding. The best thing is that no one knows where we live so we have absolutely no problem occupying ourselves indoors until the big day. Damon has made good on his promise to be extra attentive about keeping me in his sights after everything that happened. Our family has come everyday to make sure we're still sane and wanting to go through with things. They've mostly dropped by with their running joke of, _"I bet if we bring this to them, they'll use it on each other. Then somehow we'll walk in on them in the act." _Incidentally, I have found out the hard way that Damon actually is the jealous type.

* * *

_Rushing out of Damon's arms and away from and the rest of our family, to answer the door. I see a face that I've known all my life, but haven't seen since I was in Chicago._

_"This that Kitana Maven, teen pop star turned rock rebel?" he says smiling brightly at the sight of me._

_"Connor!" I scream as I jump into his arms, wrapping my limbs around him. Good thing this was the one day I chose to wear leggings._

_He spins with me in his arms while holding me tight._

_"You could've taken longer with that invitation, you know. I didn't have to come." he jokes still holding me._

_"You would've had my head if I didn't invite you and you know it." I say laughing._

_"Look at you. I forget just how good you look." he smiles._

_"Look at me? Look at you. I know you have all the girls going weak in the knees just by walking by." I smirk and we laugh._

_We hear someone clearing their throat and looking towards the living room, I see all eyes are on us and all jaws are dropped. Damon is just about 4 feet away from us and he's giving Connor the evil eye. Realizing I have not parted from him, I untangle my limbs and he sets me on my feet._

_"Now that you two have found each other again. Who are you and why have I heard nothing about you?" Damon asks, not even trying to hide the look on his face as he glares from myself and back to Connor._

_"Sorry. Everybody, I'd like you all to meet my brother, Connor Jordan." I introduce him to my family._

_"I didn't know you had a brother." Damon inquires._

_"Connor's as much my brother as Alaric is yours. The only difference is that I've known Connor all my life. We grew up together." I say still not reaching through to Damon._

_"So, you're the fiancé that's taking my little sister from me?" Connor asks extending his hand._

_"Yes. I'm the fiancé." Damon says standing stock still._

_Walking over to him, "Damon, don't be an ass." I whisper to him._

_"I'm not being anything. Tall, dark, and handsy waltzes in and you're all over him like a sorority girl waiting to be roofied." he grits back and I see his eyes turn the coldest shade of blue._

_"Damon, I think you need to apologize. He's like a brother to me." I plead with him._

_"You think that just because you look at me with those tempting little eyes that I'm gonna do whatever you say? I'll admit those eyes can make me do a lot but not after the way you jumped into his arms. It's not gonna happen." he says walking away._

_After calling after him, I turn to Connor, "I'm sorry about that. He can be difficult at times." I say._

_"No I get it. It's ok to be jealous sometimes." he says._

_"He's not-" I stop short realizing that Damon really is jealous._


	14. Chapter 14

_Tuesday August 30th, 2011_

It's a little over a week until the big day and everybody's on hyper drive. Damon has excepted that Connor's my friend and is in town to give me away at the wedding. He doesn't like Connor and I don't expect him to. I can only imagine how I'd feel if some bimbo from his past came into our house and leaped into his arms the way I'd done.

We're all at Elena's house discussing how the wedding should go. I'm hoping the feeling in the air is a vampire thing, being The Salvatore's, Tyler and Caroline are all on edge. As we're sorting through decorations and things for the reception, we all hear something being dropped on the porch. Everyone tenses and it seems I'm the only one to not understand why. Sighing, I walk toward the door, Caroline is the one to stop me.

"What are you doing? You don't answer something like that!" she says holding onto my arm.

"Whatever it is was dropped here for a reason. What's the harm in looking?" I ask.

"It's a distraction, Kit. Someone wants you out of the house. You're not going anywhere." she says looking into my eyes, trying to get me to understand. I really should after everything that's happened. But, my curiosity is in desperate need of exploring.

Suddenly, the doorknob turns and we see Elijah standing in the doorway.

"Is this for the wedding?" he asks, but he doesn't touch it.

"See? My protector is here to make sure that package doesn't explode in my face." I say playfully looking to Damon for permission to proceed, which he gives.

Walking towards the door, I hear them all shuffle behind me in territorial mode.

"I can open it. I'll take the damage so you don't have to." Elijah says with a look that I can't place in his eyes.

"No, I think this was meant for me." I say, spotting a card sticking out of the gift wrapped box. Picking it up, I see there's one name on it and it's not mine.

"Damon? This is for you." I say with a little ice in my voice. Who would be sending Damon something? I hope my remarks about his former skanks haven't come back to bite me. Opening the envelope, he brings out a disk.

_"Watch me"_

"What the hell is that?" I ask folding my arms. I swear, if it's a sex tape or something from one of those bitches trying to weasel their way into our engagement, I'll rip their throats out myself.

"How am I supposed to know? You pop it in and I'll grab whatever this is." he nudges me, before I can protest any further. I'm almost too stunned when Elijah walks into the house after Damon and continues the look he gave me earlier.

Why does he keep looking at me like that? With everyone else he's so straight-faced and stuffy. But, with me he looks like a boy who's stolen candy from the nearest baby. I choose to think that it's because I'm supposedly "special". _Or does he mean special to him? _I slap that thought down immediately.

Placing the disk in the DVD player on the TV, Elena finds the remote and presses "play". What we see on the screen should surprise us all, but it doesn't.

Klaus sits in an armchair with a glass of brandy, I'm sure it's brandy, and a smirk.

"Damon, and company I suppose. It doesn't matter really. This message is for you and you alone, mate." he says calmly and the words are like velvet.

Why is he so calm? Why did he resort to technology? This isn't his style at all.

"I'm curious to know just how much you really know about your future wife. You see the thing is that you think you know everything there is about our Kit. That thought alone makes me laugh. But, you don't know her. You can't know. Because, if you had, there would be so many more problems for the two of you. Has she told you of the life she lived before Stefan, your brother, took her from me? Has she told you of the things she did while in Chicago?" he looks into the camera as calm as can be, not letting anything on.

"You once said that I, myself, didn't know her. But, the truth of the matter is that I know her so much more than you realize. Matter of fact, I know parts of her that you've only dreamed of knowing. Trust me, I understand the allure of that little minx and what she brings." he says seductively as if he knew I'd be watching to.

"Tell me Damon. Has she brought out the animal in you yet? I'll answer it as a prominent no purely based on the fact that she's still left to fend for herself. If she were mine again, she'd never have to lift a finger. You say I'm obsessed with her. You're wrong. I'm devoted to her. I'll show you how this all came to be." he says and he fades from view and he's replaced with the very vivid and erotic scene of a woman giving a man a private lap dance. We only see her back as she is topless. She makes one slight move and my entire world falls apart as the horror is frozen on my face. The back, that everyone in the room is fixated on, belongs to me and the lap in which I'm grinding on, belongs to Klaus. I always knew that Nomie taped the private sessions for security purposes, but I never thought she'd sell mine to Klaus. Unless he compelled her. Do they realize they're looking into my dark past? My hair was down my back and I was almost too skinny. No one notices the look on my face. They all just stand and watch as if frozen to the spot. I'm cringing uncontrollably and they just don't notice. It's not even a lap dance at this point. It may as well just be said that it's porn. After fifteen excruciating minutes, the video switches back to a now smiling Klaus. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's throwing the proverbial monkey wrench into our plans.

"That was a time when everything was right with the world. When Kitana trusted me wholeheartedly. Before you came along and turned her against me. But, this is the one memory that she and I share that you will never experience." he hisses before the smile returns to his face.

"How does it feel? How does it feel knowing that I can bang your girl into oblivion without even removing my trousers?" he sits back smirking.

"Oh come on! Who does he think he's fooling? That's obviously not My Kitten. He's out of his mind!" Damon shouts as Klaus starts to speak again.

"I'm thinking you don't believe a word I've said. So, I have another angle of that same shot. I'm sure you'll agree that our girl is rather talented, and then there's her voice, which she doesn't use just for singing." he winks and a new video of the same vivid and erotic scene is shown where my face and entire body can be seen clearly. I'm sure I turn the sickest shade of green as Damon looks at me as if I've turned into the worst monster he's ever faced. I just can't wrap my head around this. What's on the screen is clearly not a lap dance and I feel sick to my stomach. What kind of person was I?

I fall to the floor and I can't take it anymore, "Turn it off! Please, turn it off!" I scream and Damon just glares at me. The sight of that look brings buckets of tears to my eyes and I start crying uncontrollably. In an instant, Elijah's on the floor with me clutching me to him as I cry, as everyone is fixated on the screen.

"You're torturing her. Turn it off." he orders.

"No! We're gonna watch this to completion, whether she likes it or not." Damon sneers at me or Elijah.

"Don't you see what he's doing? This is exactly what he wants. He wanted you to know about this." I sob.

"I should've learned it from you!" his voice booms through the house making everybody jump. The video goes back to Klaus and I wanna jump in the screen and sink my hand into his chest and pull out his heart.

"Now, that we're very clear on who handles her better, you can open that present now, assuming you haven't. You'll find another piece to her very sordid past. Kit, I'll be expecting you at my house when he realizes he's all wrong for you. Until forever, my love." he says and the screen goes black.

"What now, Kit?" Damon asks. "What am I gonna find in here? What am I gonna be met with from your past?" he asks looking utterly pissed. But is it at me or Klaus? "Answer me!" he shouts.

"I don't know!" I shout back.

"He gift wrapped it so my imagination is running away with me. If I open this package, will I be faced with kinky little sex toys? Is that it? Did you use sex toys with that asshole?" he stoops down, peering menacingly into my eyes.

"You're scaring her, Damon." Elijah says, holding me close.

"Right now, I could care less. She's hiding something and I told her from day one that I hate secrets, especially ones kept from me!" he shouts again, making me jump. "So tell me Kit. What's in the box?" he asks.

"I don't know." I strive for calm and fail.

He growls low in his throat and rips the box to shreds. Looking at the contents, he stands and all the anger in the world shines through his eyes. What's Klaus' game? Create the ultimate test and deliver a way to make our own self-destruct button on our relationship?


	15. Chapter 15

"You know, I remember you told me that you were a dancer. But, from what I just saw, what's staring me in the face, and most importantly, the look on your face right now, tells a different story, Kit." he says, before I cut him off.

"You're just gonna fall into his trap? Just like that? Don't you see? This is what he wants, Damon. He wants us to fall apart. Why are you even weighing this out?" I ask.

"Because, I should've known about this. You should've trusted me enough. He taunts me with a cake!? A cake, of all the things in this world! _Sorry I couldn't be there to see the look on your face. _Why after all this time am I still in the dark? What else don't I know about you? Do I even know you at all? Because, I'm not sure anymore. Had you been the one to tell me this a long ago, we wouldn't have to deal with this. With Klaus!" he shouts and waves towards everything and everyone around us.

Finding my nerve, I assure Elijah that he can release me, "You want me to deny any of it? Because, I won't. It's who I was Damon. I'm not that person anymore. You know me now. Shouldn't that be what matters most? Why should my past even matter to you? I didn't know you then."

"It matters because your past is the one that keeps finding ways to shove itself in my face. And it's beginning to really piss me off!" he glares at me as everyone watches.

"Fine. I get that you're pissed about this. But, I know you better than you think I do. You're not pissed at the fact that I was a stripper. You're not even pissed about the fact that you found out from Klaus. I know this because you of all people probably thought that was the sexiest thing you've ever seen in your life." I say moving towards him.

"Then, what am I pissed about, Miss All Knowing?" he says mocking me.

"You're pissed that it was Klaus that I was dancing for." I smirk at him. I hate Klaus, but Jealous Damon is so hot, I can't resist pushing his buttons.

"That wasn't dancing that we saw." he pouts but smirks when I reach him.

"I'm right, aren't I?" I ask catching a flash in his eyes.

When I'm where he wants me, he grabs me and takes us all the way to Elena's room. He slams me on her window seat, holding me by my throat, but not choking me or anything. He looks down at me, giving me the most intense look I've seen from him that's directed towards me.

"Show me. Now." he growls low in his throat.

"What? Why?" I ask stunned.

"Show. Me. I wanna see what you're made of." he growls a little softer now.

"Damon, that was a long time ago. I'm not that person anymore." I struggle beneath him.

"You did that, with him? Why him?" he asks, getting to the true matter of his anger.

"Because, I didn't know he was a murderous psychotic vampire then." I give up knowing he's only gonna drag this interrogation further.

"You didn't know about me when we met and we're perfectly fine. Next excuse." he says cold.

"Maybe, I needed the money." I smirk in a failed attempt to lighten the mood.

"I can always tell when you're lying." he says in a singsong voice.

"Fine! You win!" I say.

"Good, then tell me." he says.

"Can I get up now?" I ask.

"Are you gonna run for the door?" he asks.

"Damon, I'm not going anywhere. I'll tell you everything you wanna know." I strive for sultry to get my way. When he releases me, we sit upright on the window seat looking at each other.

"Are you gonna talk or do we have to go back to plan A?" he asks impatient as ever.

"You're not the only one in history to need a distraction once in a while, Damon." I say frustrated with this topic already.

"I'm very aware of that. You're telling me that you became a stripper to what? Clear your head?" he asks looking confused.

"Yes." If he's going there, I might as well talk. "Damon, you don't know the half of everything I'd been through in my life. I needed something to take away from my years with my family. I became a singer, because it's what I loved to do. It was my dream. I became a stripper, because it was something I didn't have to think about doing. Did I love it? No. But, it was easy and that's what I was looking for. I didn't wanna make schedules or travel and have to do things that were planned out for me. Singing songs that held no meaning to me was just another stress for me. When I started dancing, every care, every stress, every thought evaporated. Nothing mattered when I danced and that was refreshing to me." I say feeling a huge weight lift from my shoulders.

"Where does Klaus fit in to all of this?" he asks looking out the window then back to me.

"He was a patron. It started out as a normal encounter. He'd be in the club just observing. Then, I started noticing that he was in my area more often. I started dancing for him and he tipped me more and more each time."

"Was this during your druggie phase?" he asks cutting me off.

"It was. There was no way he could've known though. But, then he would stay and wait for me after everyone had gone. We would talk occasionally about my work, my passion, my silly little hobbies, as he called them. Then, came the drinking. He knew I would stop by the bar for a drink after my shift, before leaving. So, I'd leave the dressing room and there he was with my favorite drink each and every time. Then, he started getting protective. He'd walk me home, even after I protested getting into a car with him."

"You loved him." he cuts me off with a look of disdain.

"Oh, God no. I told him countless times that I'd never feel that way for him."

"But, you slept with him." he cuts me off again.

"Only the one time. I still don't know what possessed me to consider it, let alone do it. But, after it happened, he felt like he had some kind of control over me. Like if he asked it of me, I'd jump for him. Then, came the car and the condo. Both in which I turned down flat. I couldn't have him thinking he owed me any favors of any kind."

"Wait. He got you a car and a condo? And you didn't take it?" he interjects.

"I couldn't. I didn't love him in any way. Maybe, I trusted him to a point, but I never felt anything like that for him. Taking anything from him would've made me into something that I wasn't and would never be, It wasn't until..." I stop short and look him in the eye for the first time since opening up about Klaus.

"It wasn't until what?" he says keeping eye contact.

"It wasn't until I looked out the window of my dance studio some years ago and spied a beautiful, dark-haired man in the backyard breaking tree limbs, that I'd come to really learn what love really is." I hang my head a little and gaze at him through my lashes.

"You just have to get cute at a time like this, don't you?" he says sensually, moving towards me until he's inches away. He leans in and kisses me, no hands, no rush, just the most boyish kiss I've ever received.


	16. Chapter 16

He pulls away and gazes at me like he's seen me for the first time.

"I remember when I opened the door and saw you standing there that day. You were the cutest thing I'd ever seen. But, before I could say anything, you ran off. Why'd you do that?" he asks.

"I was flustered. I didn't know what to think. My feet moved before my brain could register my actions." I smirk at him.

"It was adorable how you scurried away like a little schoolgirl." he smiles.

"I'll admit, I'd never laid eyes on someone like you and I was speechless." I say.

"I think I'd have to admit the same." he says, looking into my eyes and I look away, blushing as if it's the first conversation we've ever had.

"Look at you being all flirty. You feel it right now, don't you?" he asks all sensual again, turning my chin up.

"Feel what?" I ask before he pulls me onto his lap so that I straddle him and kisses me fiercely.

"This?" he breathes as he unbuttons my sundress, pushes it off of my shoulders and lets it sit at my hips.

"Damon what are you doing?" I breathe the stupidest question while finding myself pulling his shirt over his head.

"We just had a revelation. I wanna bask in it and you." he says kissing my neck.

"And what revelation is that?" I breathe.

"You've just admitted that I'm the only man you've ever loved." he smiles so bright as he picks me up and moves to the bed and kisses me even longer this time.

"We're not doing this in Elena's bed!" I half shout when I realize his full intentions.

"She won't mind." he says all sensual. Like he thinks I'd actually do that to Elena.

"Like hell she will! Would you want her and Stefan in our bed? No! Plus everybody's downstairs and they can hear us." I say killing the mood and pushing him off.

"You love that they can hear us. You get that much wilder when you know there are dirty little ears around." he smirks as he pulls me to the floor to straddle him again as he removes my boots.

"What makes you think that?" I ask pushing him flat on the floor and kiss him.

"Because you're eyes dance with excitement each and every time. Exactly like they're doing at this very moment." he removes my dress completely then he kisses me passionately as he removes his shoes. He lifts us slightly to make quick work of his pants.

"You are horrible, you know that?" I laugh as he flips us so that he's looking down at me.

"Yea, well you knew that when I proposed, so your argument is pretty much invalid." he smirks as he rips my panties off of me.

"We're on the floor in Elena's room. We can't be doing this." I breathe as he starts to kiss the very sweet spot on my inner thigh not very far away from my sex.

"You said we couldn't have sex on Elena's bed. You said nothing about her floor." he waves a finger at me, before he places his lips on the most sensitive part of my body that immediately has my back arching off the floor and me throwing my head back and tantalizing agony. He stays in that area for what seems like eternity as he tortures me relentlessly, enjoying my undoing as he sees me struggle not to scream my lungs out. When I find my release, he takes pity on me and flips us so I'm resting in his chest.

"Too much?" he asks.

"Hmm.." is all I can manage.

"Don't tell me I blew your mind into oblivion. I wanna hear that sexy little voice." he says in the most sultry tone that gets me going again.

Lifting my head off of his chest to look into his beautiful eyes, I can't resist him. I just can't. "I know all your tricks now." I breathe, my want flowing through me again.

"I have no tricks, Kitten. I just have you." he says looking sexy as ever.

"Oh, but you do Damon. You use these gorgeous eyes that I love to make me bend to your will." I say leaning to kiss the sides of each eye.

"You use these beautifully sculptured lips to purse them at me because you know I go weak in the knees at the sight of them." I saying kissing him.

"You walk around the house with your shirt open or no shirt at all, because you know my mind turns to jello because of it." I say and kiss his chest.

"And this here." I run my finger nail across his hipbone making him flinch with excitement. "You wear you pants here to tease, taunt, and tempt me."

"Is this whole trip about my body, because I don't have a problem with that." he smiles brightly, resting up on his elbows. He reaches out to caress my face, which I lean into.

"I'm not done just yet." I smile back when removes his hand.

"This here, is my favorite part of your body." I say catching his eyes traveling along my body.

"My head?" he asks.

"No silly. What's in here. You know exactly what to say when I need to hear it. When I'd have my nightmares, you always knew what to say to calm me down and you had no clue what they were. I love your mind and what you do with it. You're extremely smart. I don't know what I'd do without this part of you." I say as I lean to kiss his forehead when I feel his hands on my breasts.

"I know what my favorite parts are right this second." he says as he takes me and lowers me onto him.

"Have you been? This entire time?" I moan through my scattered thoughts as he sits up and we begin a rhythm that's sensually slow and exquisite.

"With you? Always." he says close to my ear and his voice is enough to send my flying. He turns my head and kisses at the sweet spot behind my ear as all thoughts, worries, and cares vanish. As I reach the breaking point of his delicious torture we hear *knock, knock* "Is everything okay in there? You've been up here for a while." it's Elena coming to ruin yet another fantastic escapade for us.

"Go. Away. Elena." I try and fail to not sound like I'm in heaven at this point.

"You guys aren't in my bed, are you?" we know she's leaning against the door.

"I told you." I breathe.

"We're on the floor, now go away!" Damon calls as calm as he can to not ruin the mood any further.

"Damon! You're not having sex in my room!" she whines.

"Elena, I will rip your throat out in the most verbal way if you do not go away!" I call.

"You know, it's a good thing you're getting married. It's like you're the same person." she says not leaving the door.

"Maybe we are!" we call to her.

"Well, Jeremy decided to cut the Klaus cake if you want some." she says.

"I think we've established that we're okay. Maybe we should get dressed before the rest come up here." I kiss him lightly.

"You're probably right. But, that was fun while it lasted. You have that sparkle I was talking about." he says as we stand.

"Get dressed, old man." I laugh as I throw his pants at him.


	17. Chapter 17

_Thursday September 8th, 2011_

I wake to the sound of frantic knocking from downstairs. Realizing that today is the day before our wedding, I'm not in the mood for crap from anyone. The past few days have been hectic for all of us. After Klaus' failed attempt to tear me away from my family, I've had to go through the grueling task of explaining my past with Klaus to them. They haven't really elaborated on how they felt about it, but I'm glad they didn't. The last thing any of us need is another awkward vibe throughout our family. The stubbornness that is the group of Alaric, Charlotte and Biri convinced me and Damon that we should at least have a bachelor/bachelorette party. It didn't take long before Tyler convinced his mom to host the party at the Lockwood mansion. I still think she's jealous of our engagement because she had a thing for Damon. The party was huge and the music was amazing. The DJ snuck in a few of my songs, but I let it slide. I was way too happy dancing all sexy around the dance floor with Damon as if the party wasn't even for us. We spent time dancing with our family like we were the teenagers at the adult party. In the process of finding a room, my idea this time, we found out who Alaric had his eyes on this whole time.

* * *

_Finding an unlocked door, me and Damon stumble in and we're stopped in our tracks. We see Alaric, with his shirt torn open on the bed being straddled by a half-naked Charlotte, who's hunched over him kissing his neck._

_"You lucky bastard! I knew it!" Damon almost shouts, excited that his buddy's finally getting some._

_Popping their eyes open, Charlotte looks ashamed to be seen like this._

_"Damon, you dick! Get out of here!" Ric shouts and I give a look that only Char would understand as Damon pulls me out of the room._

_"I told you he liked one of them." I say laughing._

_"It was still his business. I like finding out this way though." he smirks at me as we round another corner to be stopped in our tracks again. We see Biri cornered by a possibly drunken Matt, who's macking on her._

_"Biri? Age limit." I say to her._

_"He's 18 and nothing's happened yet." she smiles at us._

_"Fine, just be careful, if you know what I mean." I wink and we find a room to ourselves._

* * *

As I'm transported back into the present, I'm bothered by the constant knocking at my front door. Damon is currently resting on my chest and his arms are loosely wrapped around me. Either he hears the knocking and is ignoring it for a few more minutes or hours of being with me or he's really in a deep sleep. Untangling myself from him, I find my robe, wrap it around myself and head downstairs. When I reach the door I immediately become irritated.

"Invite me in." she says as I open the door.

"What do you want, Katherine?" I ask already frustrated.

"You gotta invite me in. He'll kill me." she says pushing against the barrier.

"Who?"

"Kol. I ticked him off. Now, he's after me. Kit, let me in!" she insists.

Rolling my eyes, I walk over to the makeshift cabinet that Ric made to house all of our weapons, I retrieve a stake and bring it to her.

"There, that might help." I say, handing it to her, not caring.

"I don't need a stake. I need shelter. Now." she glares at me.

"Well, you're not coming in." I fold my arms over my chest.

"I stuck out my neck for you." she glares.

"Don't pretend I owe you something, Katherine. The only reason you helped Damon find me is because I stuck out my neck for you and saved you from Klaus." I glare back at her.

"This one thing. I'm asking this one thing of you and you can't do it?" she asks.

"Katherine, if you were on fire and the only thing that could save you would be for me to invite you into my home, I'd gladly stand here and watch you burn. Does that answer your question?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

Out of nowhere I see her being pulled away and I hear her being slammed against the wall outside my door.

"Why are you here, Katerina?" I hear Elijah's voice and I step out onto my porch. He has her by the throat as she struggles. I personally enjoy seeing her like this.

"He's after me. Elijah, he'll kill me." she says persistently.

"Who?" he questions.

"Kol. Kit, you have to help me." she insists.

"You dare lie to my face?" Elijah asks.

"Why reason could I have to lie?" she says.

"I've been trailing you for days to ensure that you wouldn't pull a stunt to stop Kitana's wedding. I haven't noticed any activity towards you. As of my knowledge, you might as well be invisible to Niklaus. And if that isn't proof enough, I put Kol in a box myself. So again, I ask why tell such a far off lie?" he inquires.

"Stop her wedding? I'm trying to save her wedding, Elijah." she grits.

"Save my wedding from what?" I ask worried that she may know something.

"Am I mistaken of what Klaus has put you through? First, in the bridal shop and then at Elena's?" she raises her eyebrow at me.

"Bridal shop? What happened at the Bridal shop?" he says looking to me. I inwardly hope that Damon hears everything and comes to my rescue. I should've taken his cue and stayed in bed.

"You don't know? Aren't you supposedly her protector? How don't you know, Elijah?" she questions, mockingly folding her arms over her chest despite his hand around her throat.

"What happened?" he asks me again and I don't answer. Why do I have to remember that now? On this day? The world falls away as I remember what he'd done and I visibly enclose on myself.

"Kitana!" he shouts snapping me back. "What has Niklaus done?" he asks.

"Oh, for God's sake, he tried to rape her. Some protector you are. You couldn't even save your charge from your own brother." Katherine prods at him.

"How about you stop antagonizing my fiancé and get off of our porch, Katherine?" Damon says from behind me and I melt immediately when he wraps his arms around me and rests his chin against my head.

"I'm not antagonizing her, Damon. I merely made up a lie to get Kit to invite me in so I could pressure her into letting me attend your wedding." she smirks as Elijah releases her and she walks toward me.

"All this because you wanted an invitation?" I ask, almost no that shocked.

"Hey, you hate me and the feeling's mutual. But, if anybody can make sure that tomorrow happens as planned, it's me." she says.

"And how do you plan on doing that, Katherine? You just said how much you hate her. Surely you don't mean that you're doing this for me." Damon says.

"I feel no need to explain myself here. If anything happens, it won't be because of me. I'll be front and center where you can see my every move." she smirks.

"You are not coming to our wedding. I'd rather shoot myself. Damon, she's not coming to our wedding. You're not coming to our wedding." I say to both of them.

"Seriously? I can't come? Are you that threatened by me, Kit?" she asks.

"I'm not threatened by you at all, Katherine. But how do I know that Elijah's right in thinking that you'd pull some kind of stunt to stop the wedding?" I ask.

"You really think I'd try to break the two of you up? I'm a bitch, but I'm not stupid. Damon knows where I stand with your soon to be marriage. I'm nothing if not hopeful that you live a long and happy life together. Even if one of you isn't a vampire." she says.

"Why? Why would you want anyone other than yourself to be happy? I'm not understanding. Help me." Damon says, releasing me and getting in her face. "What are you up to, Katherine? What are you planning?" he asks her.

"You know, we could stand out here and do this all day and it'd get nowhere. I'm attending this wedding and neither of you can stop me." she says and in a flash, she's gone.


	18. Chapter 18

As time goes by, I get more and more nervous about tomorrow. Damon decided to go back to the boarding house with the guys for the night, being it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. The girls are all here and Caroline is belting out our wedding song one last time. "The Beginning" by Alice Peacock. I knew what song I wanted all along, but I wanted to be sure she could sing it. Of course she loved it, and being the perfectionist that she is, tweaked it to her liking, which I loved. Over a very delicious Bordeaux, we've badgered Charlotte about what her status is with Alaric.

_"Ric and I are taking things slow." she says sipping her wine._

_"The hell you are! Did you forget that Damon and I stumbled in on you and Alaric, in the midst of you ripping his pants off?" I badger as I'm cut off._

_"No!" Elena shouts, excitedly._

_"Seriously?" Caroline questions with her shocked face._

_"Wow, this is news." Bonnie perks up._

_"Fine. Whatever. I like him, a lot and He knows that. He approached me. He's a great guy and I don't regret my decision. But, since we're interrogating people. How about we ask Biri about her relationship with Matt." she winks while pointing her glass at Biri._

_"He's a cute little thing, but he was drunk and-"_

_"And you loved being cornered by him, you cougar!" Bonnie teases._

_"I'm only 4 years older than he is. He's legal. What's the harm?" Biri sips at her wine while she laughs._

_"He's still in high school, that's the harm! At least Alaric is the History teacher. Biri, if we were to go on double dates, you do realize how awkward that'd be?" Charlotte relaxes as the attention is off of her._

_"Then, I'll make sure to never consider you and Ric for double dates. I'll be just as fine double dating with Bonnie and Jeremy or Elena and Stefan." Biri sticks her tongue out at Charlotte._

_"And what about me and Tyler? They're good friends too. We can double date." Caroline inquires._

_"Of course Care, how could I ever forget about you?" she asks mockingly._

_"Are you patronizing me?" she asks._

_"I could be. Am I?" Biri smirks at her._

_"What do you say we all grow up long enough to go through my wedding list again?"_

_"Fine. Ok. Sure." they all say._

_"So our bridesmaids and groomsmen are, in order of course, Elena and Stefan. Charlotte and Alaric. Bonnie and Jeremy. Biri and Matt. And Caroline and Tyler are last."_

_"Because I have to sing. Otherwise, the rest of you bitches would be at the back of the line." Caroline teases._

_"Keep telling yourself that Care." Elena says and we all laugh._

After we go through every fine detail of my wedding. The girls decide it's time to party. Elena cranks up the stereo and pop music flows freely through my house and we take off and dance all around in every room. We find ourselves in my upstairs activity room dancing as sexy as possible when we hear light music coming from outside. Biri runs to the window and turns back to us. "Uhh, Kit you should get over here." she says waving me over.

Sauntering over, I look out the window and my jaw drops. "Someone go turn the music down or off." I wave in all directions.

"That'll be me." Caroline says and is gone in a flash and back with the house now quieter. It's a really good thing we told Charlotte and Biri that most of our family are vampires and supernatural.

Back to the window, all the guys are outside as a boom box rests on Damon's car blasting "How Deep is Your Love" by the Bee Gees. Of all the songs in the world, why this one? Opening the window, I duck my head out, "What are you doing here?" I call down to him.

"Answer my question!" he calls up. It's so cute and unlike him, I have to resist running downstairs and into his arms.

"How deep is my love?" I call.

"Yea! How deep is it? Are we talking ocean or volcano?" He calls in that adorable way that makes me weak in the knees. The girls fall apart behind me and it just adds to everything going on.

"Damon, are you drunk?" I call.

"Maybe! I just wanted to see how this moment would play out. Stefan had an old boom box and I had to take it to see you! We're getting married tomorrow and I wanna know!" He calls and all the guys just laugh and the girls continue to "awe" from behind me. Seriously, this moment should be filmed. He should see this when he's sober. This is completely unlike Damon in every way.

"If you insist-"

"I do insist. How deep is your love?" he calls.

"Kit, put him out of his misery already!" Ric calls.

"It's a bottomless pit!" I call.

"That's not possible! Give me something real!" he calls. It's amazing how adorable he is right now. But, the thought hangs is that he'll never remember this come morning.

"It is possible."

"How?" he cuts me off.

"Because, I've been free falling ever since you told me your name!" I call.

He sprawls backward onto the hood of his car as if he's waited to hear those words from me since the moment we locked eyes for the first time.

"You ladies go back to your night. We'll get him out of here." Stefan calls.

"Did you drive?" I call.

"I did. He wouldn't stop babbling about seeing you once he find my radio." he calls while laughing.

"Just go. Be careful with him though. You know how he gets when he's like this." I call.

Stefan and Ric pry Damon off of the car and attempt to get him in the car when he breaks free. "Kitten. My Kitten, this time tomorrow all of Mystic Falls will know that you're my wife!" he calls.

"We're not married yet, you goof! Now, get out of here!" I call laughing.

They load my drunken fiancé into the front seat of the car, pile in and we watch them leave.

"How cute was that?" Biri gushes.

"He won't remember it tomorrow." I say smiling like an idiot.

"Look at her. She's flustered." Charlotte points at me.

"Oh, my God, Kit you're too adorable right now." Elena squeaks.

"What can I say? That wasn't like him at all and yet, in a weird way it was." I say wearing the same smile.

"I say we make it our personal mission to never let him forget this if he does happen to remember." Biri nudges me.

"Okay ladies, I'm thinking we should get started on the preparations for our beauty sleep. Hair, facial masks, skin, nails, the whole nine yards." Caroline says and we all agree.


	19. Chapter 19

_Friday September 9th, 2011 __Wedding Day_

I don't think I've been any more excited than I am on this day. I admit that I thought this day would never come, because of the impending wrath of Klaus. I refuse to think I've seen the last of him. It's odd that Katherine has been cooperating after our meeting on our porch. I think Elijah might've had something to do with that. After a full morning of peeling and scrubbing the gunk off of our faces, hands and feet, we've all done hair treatments and I'm sure there won't be a flyaway hair at the altar.

I've asked the girls to take the limo to the church so I can meet them. Mostly, because I have my own driver coming and I want a disguised look at everything before I head to the bridal room. I tie my hair up into a left, low-side, messy bun. I pull a garment bag and two boxes: one round and one square, that I had delivered early this morning when the girls were asleep, out of the back of my closet. Opening it to reveal a very red, satin pantsuit and a black, lace top, I take out every piece and put them on. From the square box I put on a pair of black, satin, peep toe pumps. Putting on a pair of black shades and bring out my large, floppy hat that matches my outfit perfectly. Surely no one will suspect that it's me being my signature style is mostly dresses of every kind. Hearing the horn signaling that my driver has arrived, I place the hat on my head, grab my clutch, and make my way out.

* * *

Pulling up to the church, I see paparazzi has basically swarmed the place.

Thinking on my feet, I call Connor. I'm positive they have no clue what he means to me.

"Kit? What's up?" he says into the phone.

"Connor, please tell me you're in the church." I say trying not to sound like I'm strategizing.

"Yea, I'm here. What's going on?" I know he's figured me out.

"Is Elijah in there?" I ask.

"He's not far, but he's in here." he says.

"Good. Find him and have him wait for me."

"Why? What's happening? Where are you?" he inquires. He knows me too well to not know when I'm literally thinking ahead.

"I need you to come outside and get me. The paps are swarming the place and once I'm inside I can take care of it." I say in boss mode.

"And I should assume you don't look like you?" he asks.

"Of course not. Get your ass out here, Connor!" I demand.

A few minutes later, I see him emerge from the dispersing crowd, who realizes he's not of much importance to them. He stands off to the side as if he's texting as he looks for me. Resigning to my fate that the paps might recognize me, I open the door and step out. I've made that a point my entire career. To avoid the prying eyes of paparazzi, whomever is my driver that day is not to open my door. Catching Connor's eye, I flick my nose with my index finger giving him the one sign that only he alone would know.

"The red lipstick is a bit much, don't you think?" he asks mockingly as he approaches me.

"Shut up and get me inside before we tip them off." I say looping my arm through his. I found it amazing when we make it inside without a flinch from the paps. Looking around, I see the church is even more spectacular than I imagined. Out of the corner of my eye I spot Elijah making his way toward me.

"Normally I'd be perturbed by this, but I assume your attire has to do with the flashbulbs outside?" He asks gesturing to my outfit.

"Could you please do something about them?" I beg.

"Anything. What would you like?" he asks.

"Connor, could I talk to Elijah alone please?" I turn to Connor in which he gives us space.

"Compel them to leave." I whisper so only Elijah can here.

"You want me to compel twenty people out in the open?" he asks.

"Don't give me that, because I know you can without anyone noticing." I say.

Without another word, he stalks off. I saunter further into the church taking in my dream unfolding before my eyes. I feel a familiar presence beside me and I immediately know it's a Salvatore. But, for the first time I'm hoping it's not Damon. Nothing is gonna ruin our wedding.

"Are you hiding from paparazzi or everyone else?" Stefan asks leaning towards me.

"I wanted to look at everything, without being noticed by paparazzi, before I went to officially start this day." I say turning to him.

"You look incredible even in disguise." he smiles.

"Stefan, we need to talk." I say realizing that I need to handle this once and for all.

"It's fine. We're fine." he says.

"No Stefan, we're not." I say pulling him into a pew.

"Kit, it's your wedding day. We don't have to do this." he resists.

"I'll never be able to stand at the altar with things not being clear with us. We need to talk about things now." I say removing my shades.

"I was compelled into taking you and leaving Mystic Falls. Even worse I was compelled into torturing you. There's nothing that can be said to right that." he says.

"Yes there is. You were compelled. I'm fine and I'm over it. I've been over it. Why are you still beating yourself up about it? We don't talk the way we used to because of this. Stop letting the past control our relationship. I miss you. I miss my brother." I say taking his hand.

"I don't know what to say to you anymore. I see you and I wanna talk to you, but all that's in my head are these flashbacks of me torturing you. Kit, you should hate me. I can't be"

"Don't you dare say that you can't be around me. You always look at the worst of things. I'm fine and I'm over it. It happened months ago. Stefan, you are my brother. This day wouldn't even exist if it weren't for you finding me in the first place. I'm still alive and well."

"Kit, you don't understand. I need"

"No, you don't understand, Stefan. I'll give you an ultimatum, right here and now. Either pull your head out of your ass and put this in the past, or I'm calling off this wedding until you do." I say confidently.

"You wouldn't call off your wedding. You and Damon love each other too much to wait another day. Plus, he'd stake me if I let you." he says.

"Oh, I would call it off and Damon would just have to understand. We cannot stand at the altar as a family when you and I aren't even acting as such." I say.

"She does have a very valid point." we hear from behind us.


	20. Chapter 20

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You know you were thinking the same thing. Stefan, she's right, even though I hate to admit it." she says.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's rude to eavesdrop?" I say looking over my shoulder at her.

"Anyone ever tell you not to question a vampire?" she mocks me.

"Won't you two stop antagonizing each other? It's getting old." Stefan says annoyed.

"I'm not antagonizing her Stefan. I'm just irritated by her." I say.

"What are you even doing out here, Kit? Don't you have a wedding to prepare for?" she asks.

"Katherine, you didn't have to be here." Stefan says.

"And you need to pull your head out of your ass like she said and forgive yourself. She's forgiven you and so has everyone else. You're always so hard on yourself when no one else is." she says.

"Seriously? Who are you and what have you done with the Real Katherine?" I mock her.

"I can be nice when I want." she says and we both scoff at her.

"All joking aside, Kit, I need to talk to you." she sighs.

"I'm right here. Talk." I say already annoyed by her.

"Stefan, figure out what you're gonna do about your feelings." she says as she takes my arm and literally drags me to the opposite end of the pew. She finally lets go when we reach a bathroom.

"Are you done vamphandling me?" I say testing the area that she gripped.

"I need your clothes." she says pushing the door open.

"My clothes? Why?"

"Because you don't want me at the altar because of Elena. Unless I take her out and walk with Stefan instead." she smirks.

"Katherine, I swear I will stake you. Stay away from Elena and Stefan." I leer at her.

"You never forget your first love, Kit. Stefan was mine." she continues to smirk.

"I'm not listening to this on my wedding day. I'll give you my clothes, but stay out of sight and don't draw attention to yourself." I snarl at her.

"You're adorable when you're being authoritative." she puts her hands on her hips.

"Flattery gets you nowhere." I smirk back.

"Are you flirting with me, Kit?" she steps toward me.

"Screw you. This is me showing civility." I say walking in.

* * *

Walking into the bridal room, now wearing Katherine's red dress, I'm showered with comments from all directions. Mostly _Where have you been? We've been waiting for you._

"Sorry, I had a few things to take care of. But, I'm here now. Where do we start?" I ask.

"I can answer all your questions with a simple gesture." Char says walking in with a bunch of women following her. "We have hair and makeup at your service. And for our bride-to-be, we have a masseuse to shake off those pre-wedding jitters." she says with a bright smile.

"Char, thank you so much. What would I do without you thinking ahead like this?" I say hugging her as if she really was my sister.

"Hey, you're not having cold feet now, are you?" she asks.

"Of course not. I'm just worried about Stefan." I say.

"Why? What's going on?" Elena paces toward me.

Rubbing my forehead with me palm, "He still hasn't forgiven himself for what he did. I tried to get him to understand that I'm fine and I'm over it. Nothing works. He just rejects the thought of letting it go." I say.

"I'll go talk to him. Maybe I can get through to him. Trust me." Elena says brushing past me before I catch her arm.

"What about your hair and makeup?" I ask.

"I'll be back in time. Trust me." she winks and walks away.

I decide that Char is right and that I do need a massage to rid myself of all these worries. Although, there's one thing, one person who could knock these worries and these cares away and I'm marrying him in a matter of hours.

"Kit, why do you think Stefan's being so difficult about things?" Biri asks.

"Because he's Stefan. He always looks at the whole of the situation and dwells on what he did wrong." I say as the masseuse does major damage control to my muscles and the girls get their hair done.

"That happened months ago. I can't believe he's still going on about this." Bonnie says.

"Well he is and I'm trusting Elena to get through to him." I say.

"Maybe she can make him see something that you couldn't." Caroline says.

"Ok is Kit the only one allowed at the massage table? Because I'm sensing some serious tension." Bonnie asks.

"Bride-to-be only." Char points at her.

"Fine I'll go ask Jeremy to marry me right now." she jokes.

"You will do no such thing Bonnie." Elena says in the same joking tone and we all laugh.

"How's Stefan?" I ask.

"He'll be fine. I just reminded him of a few things and he considered them. Everything will be perfect." she says.

"But is he still doubting himself?" I ask.

"Is all this because of the wedding?" Bonnie interjects.

"Yes! I can't walk down that aisle and stand at the altar with a heavy heart. Stefan is my brother and I can't face him out there if he can't forgive himself like I have." I say

"Calm down. You don't need this stress. Finish your massage. We'll talk about this later." Elena says taking her seat.

After my massage, I'm finally in my bridal lingerie, robe, and my hair and makeup are done. The girls are all dressed and I've barely taken my dress out of its garment bag.

"You know all this time we've spent together, I don't think I've seen you writing your vows." Caroline observes.

"That's because I didn't." I smile at her.

"But, how will you know what to say?" she inquires.

"Caroline, Damon and I have never had a problem expressing how we feel about each other to one another. I think the same goes for our vows." I say.

"So you're not even gonna rehearse what you're gonna say?" They all ask not so simultaneously.

"Why should I? I know how I feel. There's not need to write it out." I say.

"What if Damon wrote his vows out?" Char asks.

"Then he wrote his vows. We're not the same person you know." I roll my eyes at them.

"You sure about that? For the millionth time, you and Damon act, talk, and I'm surprised that you don't dress alike." Elena says.

"You're exaggerating, all of you. I'm not Damon." I sat frustrated.

We hear a knock and Katherine saunters in, wearing my pantsuit to perfection, holding a glass of wine. "I thought you might be having some pre-wedding jitters so I hope you don't mind me bringing you a glass of wine." she smiles.

"What's in that?" Caroline gets in her face.

"Caroline, Kit and I have an understanding. I'm not to cause harm." she says. I don't remember saying this.

"You are not poisoning her." Caroline persists.

"If you don't believe me, take a sip." I bats her eyelashes.

"I'll take that." Biri steps up taking the glass from her and takes a sip before anyone can stop her.

"Well…" Caroline taps her foot.

"It's delicious, but it's fine." Biri says and hands me the glass.

Walking towards the back of the room to calm my ever-present nerves, I down the glass in one gulp.

"Clear the room. Now!" I hear an all too familiar voice ignite the entire room into an uproar of rushing feet.

Turning around when the room is empty, I'm face to face with the one person I thought I'd never see again for as long as I'd live. "Mom?"


	21. Chapter 21

"What are you doing here?" I ask more shocked than actually wanting an answer.

"I can't be here for my daughter's wedding? Look at you, baby girl. You look so beautiful." she says with that smile that's haunted me all my life. She wears a pantsuit that oddly isn't very far off from the one I gave Katherine, with her almost light brown hair as straight as I remember it. That is the reason I've always dyed my hair dark to not look like her.

"Cut the crap, Marylyn, I know you're not here because you're happy for me." I leer at her.

"I remember the last time you called me Mom. It was the time you..."

"The time I slept with your boyfriend?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Ah yes, that incident. You really hurt me that day. You proved to me how much of a little slut you were. Who knows who you were screwing around town. But, why go after Roger? My Roger? Why?" she looks menacingly at me.

"News flash: I never slept with him. I got him drunk so he'd believe that he slept with me. He was so drunk he would've believed anything." I say taking a more defensive stance. "I'd hoped to take that secret to my grave but then again, I didn't think I'd see you again unless you were dead."

"That's no way to talk to your mother." she snarls.

"You were never my mother!" I shout at her and she slaps me across the face.

"Don't think for a second that you could ever overstep me. I made you into the bitch that you are today." she growls close to my ear.

"You're wrong, Mommy Dearest. I'm a major bitch in spite of you." I snarl before slapping her back and she stumbles backward.

"Look at you. You become a woman and you think you can have one on me. I remember when you were a child. You lashed out at anything and anyone. You may have been my only child and in the beginning you were so precious to me. But, after your father"

"Don't you dare! Don't you ever bring my father into anything that has to do with you! For all I know, he's dead because of you!" I scream before launching myself at her full force. Of course she side-steps me and I almost lose my footing.

"I told you, little girl. Don't think you can overstep me." she leers.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd question if you were ever human." I narrow my eyes at her. Could she be a vampire? After all this time, could she have been turned?

"I taught you everything I know. Have you forgotten your name so quickly dear? I named you Kitana to remind you of who we are. We're cut from the same violent cloth." she steps close to me and reaches out. I grab her hand and twist it behind her back.

"Let me ask you something. After my father passed and I went into that great downward spiral, did you have any idea why?" I ask close to her ear.

"I figured you were a bad apple. You did take after your father where your anger management was concerned." she shrugs.

"Now, what strikes me is that the time I've spent with my fiancé has taught me to be very keen on deception. My question for you however is, why lie to me about my childhood? You know don't you?" I ask twisting her arm even more.

"What am I supposed to know? You were grieving as a child your age should have done. No one faulted you for it. What are you blaming me for?" she grits out, I can tell by the quiver of her voice that she's hiding something.

Spinning her around and holding her by the throat "Stop with the bull! You know exactly what I'm talking about and you did nothing. I was a helpless child and you didn't defend me the way a mother should have done." I look her in the eyes.

"You're hurting me." she strains to my enjoyment. "What are you talking about? What am I supposed to know?" she grits out.

"You talk about how much of a slut you think I was. What escapes you is the fact that you changed boyfriends faster than the seasons came and went. You wonder why I was so messed up growing up? Why I'm so screwed up now? Do you realize how many men I've seen you with?" I ask looking her in the eye.

"I'm sure my numbers don't come close to yours." she says as she twists out of my hold.

"Oh, but they do. You outnumber me by a population! Do you remember your first boyfriend after Daddy died?" I ask walking away from her.

"How could I forget about Jeremiah? He was so yummy and caring. I do miss him sometimes." she says smiling and my stomach turns.

"Oh that's right. You're favorite. I'm wondering how you'd feel if you knew your favorite boy toy had your daughter first?" I sneer at her.

"What are you prattling on about?" she sneers back.

"He went for you because he raped me, Mother. You were so blind that you didn't see the looks he gave me. You didn't care to see the little touches from him that had me screaming on the inside. You were blinded by your own ignorance that you didn't even notice that your daughter was a recluse." I snarl.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic. Jeremiah didn't lay a hand on you. I will not have you talking about the dead like that!" she grabs my wrist.

"You don't believe me?" I ask unbelieving. "After all these years I'm still a liar to You. I was eight! How could you not tell that something was wrong?" I glare at her.

"What I could tell is that you were traveling down a very dark path and you wouldn't let me into your world. I was the enemy. You pushed ME away." she snaps at me.

"Do you hear yourself? Do you have any idea what I'm telling you? Or is it that you never understood the full picture because you cared too damn much about what was in his pants more than your own daughter?" I snarl and she reaches out to slap me again but I catch her arm.

"I loved you! With everything I was, I loved you."

"That's a load of bull. If you gave a damn about me, you would've opened your eyes. What child is so angry with everything and everyone that they lock themselves in their room? You don't believe me? Connor was there. Even though he couldn't protect me, he was there for me when you weren't. He was and will always be the person that keeps me from being rid of you." I snarl.

"Rid of me? You'd kill your own mother?" she asks shocked.

"As far as I'm concerned the mother that I loved died when my father passed. There were many times that I wanted to end you. Because, you did teach me to be like you. No one knows what I can do with a sword. But you do. And many times I wanted to slice into you. Just because I could." I step close to her. She snarls, spits in my face and we break out into an all out war. Once she's separated herself from me, she finds a solid gold crucifix across the room and hurls it in my direction. Making the mistake of turning my back on her, I dodge it and it breaks one of the mirrors the makeup ladies setup. She takes the opportunity to lunge at me again as the glass shatters. The doors fly open and in seconds we're both being restrained.


	22. Chapter 22

"You're fighting in church? On your wedding day?" Stefan shouts across the room as he holds a struggling Marylyn by the waist.

"I'm not the one who allowed her in here." I snarl, being restrained by Elijah.

"What? You're friends don't know about your mother, dear girl?" she hisses at me.

"You are not my mother!" I shout trying to make my way back to her, but even my anger can't compete with Elijah.

"You turned your back on me. I was lost when you left." she says not even struggling anymore and Stefan releases her. Stupid mistake, Stefan.

I visibly relax to play on Elijah's sympathy for me and he releases me as well.

"You were lost? You were lost!? How in the hell do you think I've felt my entire life with you. From the moment I knew I had to grow up, because you were a delusional sociopath, I was lost! I needed guidance! The one thing I needed in that time was my mother and she wasn't there! You weren't there for me! You can stop the attempts to have me feel sorry for you, Marylyn because I will never ever feel sympathy for you!" I shout and pace towards her. "The moment you die, I hope and I pray that you burn in Hell." I hiss at her. She brings her hand out to slap me which I dodge it with a cold-hearted slap of my own.

As she stumbles from the force of my assault she says, "I bet Kenneth is turning in his grave."

"It won't be because of me. I wonder what he ever saw in a psychotic, self-centered bitch like you." I snarl.

"You think you know everything, don't you? No matter what you may think or feel, you are my child." she says stepping towards me.

"I'm the child you gave birth to. That is where the line begins and ends. You can never call yourself a mother." I hiss.

"Marylyn Blanchard. I thought I told you in Chicago not to come here." Connor says from the door.

"You knew she'd be here? And you didn't warn me?" I ask shocked, glaring at him and pointing at her.

"She knew she wasn't welcome here. Gloria made sure she knew that." he says.

"I told you then that you wouldn't keep me from my daughter and you haven't." she says to him.

"Cut the bull, Marylyn. You haven't been a mother since Kenny died. No doubt he died to get away from you." he glares at her.

"Charming as ever, Connor. Why isn't it you marrying my Kitana?" she asks showing her delusional side again.

"Because he knows how messed up I am. I can thank you for starting the process. I couldn't be the person that I am today without you." I sneer at her.

To those words, she gets in my face and takes hold of my robe as I try to fight her off, "You can hate me all you want. But, one day you'll thank me for making you stronger. For making you who you are today." she says and pushes me to the floor. Looming over me, delusion evident in her eyes, "What are we gonna do with you now? You're makeup is smudged and your hair's a mess." she smirks sending me back into my rage.

Lunging for her, I wrap my hands around her throat with the full intent of choking every last breath out of her, when Elijah grabs me around the waist with one arm and over my arms with the other.

"Release. She's not worth it." he says close to my ear as I struggle in his grasp.

"You might wanna work on your anger issues, dear. They seem to be getting the better of you." she smiles holding her throat.

"Get her out of here!" I shout as Elijah continues whispering in my ear to try and calm me.

Connor paces towards her and as she lashes out at him. Dodging her attack, he spins her around and produces handcuffs from his jacket and restrains her.

"You're quick, Connor. What's your next trick?" she asks laughing against him. How did she ever conceive me? Is this cuckoo clock my future? I refuse to think I'm as messed up as Marylyn. I can't be that far gone. I can't be that delusional.

"My next trick is getting you away from this wedding. Move." he says pushing her forward.

"Connor, if you're gonna be with her, what about the wedding? You're giving me away." I say before they stop.

"You got two choices, deal with Marylyn being here so I can perform my brotherly duties. Or, you can let me get her far away from here." he says looking at me like he only does when he knows I'm in a lose-lose situation.

"Fine. I'll go without you. I'm gonna hate it, but I'd rather her be away from here." I say in defeat.

"Don't worry about me. You go get married. I'll take care of Marylyn." he says and then leaves with the woman I once called my mother, with Stefan following them out. Elijah releases me and as soon as I'm sure they're far enough, I feel the rage rise again and I resign to throwing everything I can get my hands on around the room. As I shatter the very last mirror, surely I'll pay for the damage, Elijah grabs me by the shoulders and tilts my chin up to look into my eyes, trying to check my anger.

"Hey, she's gone. Calm down." he says and it's like velvet to my ears.

"You don't understand. That woman is the reason for a lot of crap that I've put myself through. I can't believe she showed up here." I say working myself up again.

When he realizes that it'll probably take an army to calm me, he does the one thing that shocks me to my core and makes me forget everything that's happened in the past minutes. He puts his hands on each side of my head and places a kiss on my forehead. Feeling the calming sensation wash over me, I wrap my arms around his waist as tears start to flow down my cheeks and he wraps his arms around me. We stand there for what seems like eternity as I'm now crying into his chest after he's assured me that it'd be fine.

"I may not be able to understand the level of what you're going through, but she's still your mother, Kitana. She is the reason for you being what you are. The way she talked to you was unacceptable. I've never witnessed you act the way you did here. You were furious and destructive. If I didn't know you already, I'd think you were a vampire." he says which makes me laugh and he looks quizzically at me.

"I actually thought the same thing about her." I say laughing as I part from him and check the scene of the room.

"Elijah, why am I special?" I ask turning towards him. I need to know now. He constantly drops these tiny hints and it's getting bothersome.

"I told you before, when you're ready to learn why, you will." he says.

"I'm ready to learn now. Why can't I know now?" I ask as my curiosity surfaces after the war between Marylyn and myself.

"Kitana, I assure you, if you were ready to learn it, you would have." he says giving me that look that he reserves only for me.

"Okay, what is that look? You're always so stiff and proper with everybody else, but with me you look at me like that." I say gesturing at him.

"I don't think I look at you any sort of way. You're a very captivating woman." he says smiling slightly. His statement peaks my bravery and I have to ask.

"Does that mean I'm special to you?" I ask raising an eyebrow at him.

"You really are a curious one, aren't you?" he asks.

"And you didn't answer my question." I say and in the blink of an eye, he's standing right in front of me. He reaches up to grasp the nape of my neck and gently pulls my head back to look into my eyes, but this time is different.

"I've admitted that you are a very captivating and intriguing woman. But, know this, I am not a, quote unquote, homewrecker nor do I intend to be one. You're getting married today." he says looking down at me.

"So, I can assume that I'm right? Do you have feelings for me, Elijah?" I ask and I see him visibly flinch at the thought. He releases and walks away from me and it confirms all the suspicions I've had all these weeks.

Before, I can say anymore in the matter, the girls all come back into the room.

"What the hell happened in here? Who was that woman?" are the general questions asked.

"That was Marylyn Blanchard." Biri steps from behind them.

"She's my mother, and what you're seeing is the product of a mother-daughter war." I say picking up pieces of mirror off the floor.

"Kit, you don't have to do that. We have people for that." Caroline says, trying to get me to drop the shards as I notice Elijah leaving the room. Was he saying this entire time that I was special to him? Or is there still something that I don't know?

"I have to. I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve Damon or you guys. This is all wrong. I'm nothing of the person you think I am." I say catching my appearance in a shard of glass in my hand.

"Stop this! Do you hear yourself right now? You've been here for almost a year and you're family to us all. You have a past. We know that. We accept that. It makes you who you are, unique. You've gone through so much that you keep us in check. Kit, don't you see that we love you? Telling by the look of this room, your mother may not have been the best influence on you. But, we are your family too. Don't ever say that you're not good enough for us. I'm a doppelgänger and most of us are vampires. I think that's proof enough that we all belong where we are as a family." Elena says and all I can do is nod.

"Okay, can we get the bride back in bridal form please? We can't have you going out looking like that." Char says all authoritative, directing everything again.


	23. Chapter 23

I'm finally putting on my dress, after getting my makeup redone and my hair now in a French roll. I find the boys have done well in delaying things from the outside. I'm sure compulsion had something to do with it. Katherine's actually been helpful. She's come in with another glass of wine, which I was dying for, after hearing about the room. Why is she being so helpful all of a sudden? I know we have an agreement, but this is borderline creepy. Now, I'm mere minutes away from walking down the aisle. My nerves are all over the place as I'm standing in wait for Caroline to start. The music hits and now my nerves are through the roof. She starts to sing and after a few beats the wedding is in full effect as our bridesmaids and groomsmen start to disperse. I'm a huge bundle of nerves as Tyler approaches me.

"I know you wanted Connor to give you away and I respect what he's doing for you with your mom." he says.

"Thank you Tyler. Since when are you sentimental?" I ask, seeing this is calming my nerves.

"When you're with someone like Caroline, you don't have much of a choice." he says laughing.

"You have a point." I laugh.

"So, the point I am getting to is this. Being that my beautifully talented girlfriend is singing your wedding song, I was wondering if you'd accept me giving you away?" he asks smiling.

"You'd do that for me?" I ask as tears threaten to form.

"I'm here, aren't I?" he smirks.

"Yes Tyler. I'd love for you to give me away." I smile brighter than I have all day.

"Then in that case, Showtime." he says holding his arm out to me. I hadn't even realized that we were moving toward the entrance of my future.

Looping my arm through his, I take a deep cleansing breath and we make our way in. Even though I've been in here already, the room is even more beautiful with all the people I've come to know filling it. Then, I look directly at him and immediately I go weak in the knees. Damon looks as breathtakingly shocked as I most likely do. He stands, with his hair perfectly slicked back, in a black suit and red tie with a shiny grey pattern. Whereas the rest of the guys ties are the same shiny red without the pattern. All of its Armani, I'm sure of it. I find myself merely feet away from him. Reaching out, he takes my hand and I stand at the altar with him and neither of us can contain our smile.

_"We're finally here." _he mouths to me.

_"I love you." _I mouth back.

_"I love you more." _he mouths back and our smiles just get even bigger.

Our wedding song ends and Caroline soon joins Tyler at the altar.

Pastor Young readies and starts the ceremony.

"Friends and loved ones. We are gathered here today to witness the union of Damon Salvatore and Kitana Maven in holy matrimony. Who gives this woman away to be married to this man?"

"We do." our entire altar answers and it gets a good chuckle out of the audience.

"As Damon and Kitana take their vows today, we are privileged to witness the joyous love of a new family. A family that will be nourished and nurtured through the devotion of two separate individuals growing together through the common bonds of love. May their marriage bring them the peace, joy, comfort and contentment that is known in the hearts of all God's children. And may Damon and Kitana both look forward to each new season of their marriage, just as the world looks forward to each new season of the year. For all seasons, bring with them their own special moments and memories. An essential requirement of a good marriage is a strong bond of real friendship and trust. Kitana and Damon, your love for each other will grow deeper with every passing day, but it's important to remember that your love stands on a foundation of genuine, mutual affection and respect for each other. To truly love another person is to be willing to accept both his or her strong points, and their weak points, with equal measures of understanding and respect.

The vows you are about to exchange, will serve as a verbal representation of the non-verbal emotions that are as real as any thing that can be seen, heard or touched.  
For it is not the words that you will speak today that will bond you together as one, but the strength of the love and commitment found deep within your souls.

Damon and Kitana have chosen to verbalize their own vows today.

At this time, I'll ask you, Damon, and you, Kitana, to face each other & take each other's hands. Damon, we'll start with you."

We face each other and take the same sharp intake of breath at the sight of each other. I'm surprised when I don't see Damon go into his pockets for his vows.

"_Whew! _I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life. Don't mind my sweaty palms." he says, wriggling his eyebrows, to lighten the mood in his own Damon way as we all chuckle.

"Kitana. It feels so strange using your name now. Kitten. My Kitten, from the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I had to be the one to protect you at all costs and in everything. We've grown so much since that moment so long ago. Even now, I'm looking at you and it feels like the very first time I'm seeing you. From the moment I learned your name, I knew we would be something special. I knew we had to be something special because I wouldn't have it any other way. You showed me the true meaning of not knowing what you have until it's gone. The moment you walked back into my life, I was able to breathe again. I knew then that I'd do anything and everything to make you mine. And I've done some pretty extreme things, I'll admit it. But, each and every time, you forgave me. Not right away but we got there, didn't we? I remember how long it took me to convince you that what we have was as real as the day it started. I love you now as I loved you when I first looked into your eyes. You are My Kitten now and always." he kisses my hands after his vows, and I'm strongly fighting tears.

"Kitana, your vows." Pastor Young says.

"You thought you were nervous? Is it hot in here or am I the one sweating buckets?" I ask to calm my own nerves and it gets another chuckle.

"Damon, when we first met there were three things I thought about you. You were arrogant. You were rude. You were very snarky. But above all that, you were extremely alluring and all too mysterious. The moment I first looked into your eyes I knew I couldn't trust you. But then I got to know you and then I was sure I couldn't trust you. But, you spent time with me, showing me things that I'd disconnected myself from since I was a child. You showed me that it was okay to feel for someone else. You showed me that it was okay to open up and let people into my heart. The moment I let you into my heart and we capitalized on that, was the most whole I'd ever felt in my life. It amazes me that this entire time as I've grown into my own, you've never changed. You are very much that same arrogant, rude, snarky, alluring, and mysterious man, that I fell deeply in love with, standing here now. You've saved me from myself many more times than I can count. I'm so grateful that we met when we did. There have been bumps along the way for us getting here. But, we made it here and I couldn't be happier with you in my life. Damon, I love you now as I've loved you that moment I spied you in the backyard all those years ago. You are My Damon now and always." I finish my vows while holding back tears.

"And now for the rings." Pastor Young instructs. Stefan hands Damon a small pouch and he takes my hands again. He told me I'd be getting a new ring and I've yet to see it, so my curiosity is highly peaked.

"Damon, will you take Kitana to be your wife, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor her, laugh with her and cry with her? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"I will." he says and places the most beautifully unique bridal set on my finger. It's a diamond set on a leafed band and I love it.

Pastor Young proceeds.

"Kitana, will you take Damon to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor him, laugh with him and cry with him? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"I will." I say as Elena nudges me with a wedding band. I thought we agreed that he didn't have to wear one. But it looks like it was meant to match his daylight ring. I smile tightly so he'd know why and I place the ring on his finger.

"Before we continue, if anyone here has any reasons as to why these two should not be joined in Holy Matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace."

"They better not." Damon smirks and everyone chuckles.

We wait a few moments, which seem like hours, and no one comes forward to object.

"Well then, we shall continue."

"Sorry we're late. We thought we'd make an entrance." a female voice says and we all spin towards the exit. I see the next series of events happen clearly, as if time slows to an almost deathly halt. Standing at the exit is, a blonde with something shiny in her right hand. She's flanked by a smiling Klaus, no doubt he's proud of himself, and another blonde, whom I recognize off the bat. _Krystal?_

Blonde #1 raises her right arm and immediately I know that it's a gun in her hand. Looking me directly in the eye, she squeezes the trigger and I feel my head flop backwards as I slowly fall away and Elena catches me.

"Damon!" she looks down at me crying as I slowly fade away.


	24. Chapter 24

Through the uproar of terror filling the church, he stoops to check on her. Looking into her empty eyes, his heart breaks as he sees the wound in the middle of her forehead. Caressing her cheek, he's pulled out of his thoughts.

"Damon, I have her. Go and do damage control. I have her." Elena cries to him as she holds onto her fallen friend.

Taking a moment too long to understand what's happening, he's clapped on the shoulders. "Damon, they've bolted the doors from the outside. We're locked in and Alaric is working to get us out." Stefan says trying to hold his own sorrow back for the sake of his brother. Looking at Damon, he's sees the fury written all over his face. "Damon, don't go there now. We need to sort this out. We have a few hundred people who just saw Kit get shot and I'm sure the paparazzi isn't far away. The doors are bolted, we can compel them all to forget what they saw." he tells him.

"I'm gonna find Klaus and I'm gonna tear him and those blonde bitches apart!" he growls standing and moving away from his fallen bride.

"Damon, you can't think about revenge right now."

"The hell I can't! They put a bullet in her head, Stefan!" Damon shouts turning to face him.

"Nothing good can come of that kind of thinking. You don't think I wanna tear them limb from limb myself? Kit and I finally reconciled and I'll be damned if I let this go. But, we can't plan an attack right now. We have to do what's right for her." Stefan says holding his brother by the shoulders.

"Damon! Elijah and I have already started compelling people. You don't need worry about this. Find a way out of here and get her home." Katherine says as they spot her close to them and takes off to compel more people.

"We can get her home, Damon. You go look for a way to get us out of here." Elena cries over Kit. Damon only nods and takes off.

Stefan takes over in getting all the vampires to compel every single human before they can figure out how to unbolt the doors.

"Shouldn't you compel Biri and Charlotte too?" Bonnie asks when she catches Stefan's attention.

"They know what we are and they know what happened. Talk to them and comfort them." he says failing to come off as "handling" things.

"I'm taking the girls. I found a way out. You got everything here?" Damon asks and Stefan just nods.

Stooping down to take Kit in his arms, "Come on, I found a way out. We're taking her to the Boarding House."

"Damon, you know she'd never..." she stops short of her point.

* * *

"What do you mean don't worry about it, Damon!? She's dead!" Elena cries.

"Do you wanna tell them or should I?" Katherine says sauntering in with a hand on her hip.

"Tell us what? What did you do, Damon?" Stefan questions, though he already knows.

"Go ahead, Damon. Tell them. I mean, this was your plan." she smirks.

"What is she talking about? What did you do, Damon?" Elena questions.

"What would you have done, Stefan? I knew something would happen. I felt it. So I made a deal." he says stomping towards him.

"Made a deal? For what?" Stefan asks stepping towards him with his own deteremination.

"In return for my services, I have a clean slate and the bunch of you stop trying to kill me." Katherine says smiling.

"I'm sure that means…." Elijah says leaning against the entrance to the living area.

"The wine! I knew something was off! You fed her vampire blood? What the hell is wrong with you?" Caroline shouts, stepping towards Damon but not close.

"Don't judge me! Any one of you would've done the exact same thing!" Damon shouts at them.

"You fed her vampire blood! You took away her choice and now she'll never forgive any of us! Do you realize that?" Stefan gets in his face.

"You think I'm gonna feel guilty for wanting to keep my wife alive? Wrong!" he says, not backing down.

"No, the wedding was interrupted, Damon. You weren't officially married." Elena says walking up to him.

"You think I don't know that? She is my wife, Elena. She's my wife!" he shouts, wringing his hands in his no longer slicked back hair.

"I don't understand." she says confused.

"The retreat. You didn't take her on a retreat! You took her to get married?" Stefan inquires.

"That's what you meant last night, didn't you? _This time tomorrow, everyone in Mystic Falls will know you're my wife._" Elena questions.

"Why do that to her, Damon? Why go through with this ceremony today?" Stefan asks stretching his arms out.

"When you know something bad is gonna happen to the people you love, you do whatever it takes to keep them with you. Hate me all you want, brother. I took her to get married, then I compelled her to forget it happened. I wanted her to have the wedding of _her_ dreams. What are you gonna do about it? That's my wife laying on that couch and I will wait for her to come back to me." Damon says, walking back to the couch.

"You're missing one minor detail, Damon." he says stopping him in his tracks.

"And I'm sure you can't wait to tell me what is it." he answers slightly turning to glare at his brother.

"Remember Charlotte, the girl who was sired to you in the 1942?" Stefan points a finger at him.

"You think I'd be stupid enough to make that mistake again? What kind of marriage would I have with my wife being sired to me? That's why I needed Katherine." he says walking towards stefan, pointing at Katherine the entire way.

"So, you had it all planned out? You figured you'd dangle freedom in front of her face and we'd just have to except that and deal with it. Because in your eyes, she saved Kit's life. What do you think she's gonna say when she wakes up?" Stefan asks before Damon throws him across the room.

"You know damn well you would've done the same. If it were Elena, would you not make the same decision? You wouldn't wanna keep her by your side forever?" he yells across the room.

"No! Not like this!" Stefan comes back to throw Damon across the other side of the room as the others watch everything unfold. "I'd never just take her choice away from her like that! You hated me for over a century because I forced you to turn. Why would you do the exact same thing to her? To your wife of all people?" he asks.

"Because, I'm nothing without her! You happy, Stefan? I feel nothing without her. She is my humanity! And if I ever lost her, I'd die!" he shouts, physically folding into himself as he drops to the floor on his knees.

"She's never gonna forgive you and then this will all have been for nothing!" Stefan shouts seeing his brother in his moment of pure vulnerability.

"No, that won't happen! I can't let that happen. I'll make her understand why I did it. We'll talk and everything will be fine." Damon says looking for the sign that he's right.

"You can't seriously believe that, Damon. Who would be okay with their death being taken from them? She was supposed to die." Elena says.

"And she did die, Elena! Now we're waiting for her to come back to us. Stop trying to make me feel guilty. I will never feel guilty about this. She's my wife and I'd make this decision all over again if I had to." he says and in a second he's by her side clutching her hand in his. He pulls something out of his pocket and removing the wedding rings, he places another.

"What are you doing?" Elijah interjects.

"What does it look like? It's a daylight ring for her. I won't let her leave me." Damon says.

* * *

_Waking into darkness, the last thing I remember is looking up into the face of a crying Elena. Now, here I am. Where am I?_

_"You've been brought to Limbo. You will remain and serve me, until your true fate is determined." an amazingly soft, yet demonic voice echoes._

_"Why have I been brought here? What have I done?" I ask._

_"You've been brought to the supernatural realm of Limbo where you will stay until your fate is decided." the voice says._

_"This is a mistake! I'm not supernatural!" I shout._

_"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Do you know nothing of your past?" the voice asks._

_"Astaroth, you leave that child alone!" I elder female voice shouts as a hand clamps onto my arm and pulls me away from the darkness. Once it's light enough to see, I recognize who's been pulling me._

_"You're Bonnie's grandmother Sheila, aren't you? She calls you Grams." I say as she looks me in the eye._

_"I'm not just her grandmother, baby." she says._

_"I know you were a professor." I say._

_"I meant I wasn't just HER grandmother." she smiles._

_"I don't understand." I say._

_"Your father was Kenneth Maven, wasn't he?" she asks._

_"Yes he was. I don't understand anything." I say confused._

_"His original name was Kenneth Bennett. He was my son." she says and everything is so clear. Damon was right all along? I'm a Bennett?_


	25. Chapter 25

_"So, I was a witch? I am dead, right?" I ask._

_"You weren't a witch. You are dead, for now. We don't have long." she says._

_"But, my dad was? How was I not? I don't understand." I say confused._

_"Yes, he was. You weren't, because you inherited your mother's traits." she says. So, Marylyn's fate is my fate as well? I'm gonna end up like her?_

_"How would inheriting from Marylyn change me being a witch?" I ask._

_"Marylyn Blanchard, your mother, was conceived by demons."_

_"If you tell me that she's a succubus, I won't be shocked in the least." I say._

_"Her reputation has been well-known long before you were born."_

_"Why did my dad go by Maven?" I ask cutting her off._

_"He stopped using magic and He had no desire to be known as a Bennett when he met your mother." she says._

_"Please, stop calling her that. She hasn't been a mother to me since he died." I say, then feel the need to ask. "Is he here? If we don't have much time, I have to see him." I say wide-eyed._

_"I'm sorry, baby." She says, putting her hands on my shoulders, "He came and moved on. It's for the best." she smiles. Realizing that this woman is actually my grandmother, I hug her tight as if I hadn't seen her in years._

_"What does that mean for me? Am I like her? Am I a succubus too?" I ask._

_"No baby, you're not like her. Thankfully, my son's magic did have an effect on how what you are would play out. I've been watching you. You're nothing like Marylyn. But, you are half demon and you died with vampire blood in your system. How you will go back will be determined."_

_"What do you mean determined? What am I?" I ask._

_"The answer is simple. You are special. You are a new breed. You are destiny." she says and there's that word again. "Special"_

_"I was told that I was special. Will I be half demon, half vampire?" I ask._

_"Yes. But, how that will affect you will be entirely up to you. It can consume you or you can overcome it." she says and I start to feel a strange sensation._

_"What's happening to me?" I ask._

_"It's time! You're going back, Tell Bonnie I love her very much. You're cousins, Kitana, and I'm glad you have finally found each other. Take care of each other." she kisses my forehead._

* * *

They all pace the floor watching and waiting for her to come back to them. Damon stays in the same spot, grasping her hand as he stares at the daylight ring he placed on her finger.

"This is boring." Katherine says slinking around with a hand on her hip.

"You didn't have to be here. Leave." Elena glares at her.

"She's not going anywhere, Elena. She placed herself in this mess, now she'll watch it to fruition." Elijah says with a hand in his pocket.

"We're standing around waiting for poor Kit to come back. We all know she's gonna make the choice to turn. She'd never leave Damon." Katherine says leaning off to her left.

"Please, stop talking." They turn to Damon at once and in that same movement Kit jolts awake and Damon grabs her immediately hugging her tight.

"You came back to me. I missed you so much." he whispers in her ear.

"Get away from me!" she shouts pushing him away.

"Kitten, what's wrong?" he asks worried.

"You did this to me! I know you did." she cries, seeing she's still in her wedding dress.

"No, you don't understand. Let me explain." Damon says reaching for the spot where her wound is still visible and she slaps his hand away.

"Don't you dare touch me!" she growls while rising from the couch. As she circles the couch, her eyes rest on Bonnie.

"_Grams_" she whispers to herself and then runs to her cousin and wraps her arms around her. "Bonnie, it's true. It's all true. Damon was right."

"Wait a minute. What are you talking about?" Bonnie asks holding her at arm's length.

"Grams. I talked to her. She says she loves you and she misses you. Bonnie, we're cousins. I'm a Bennett." she says smiling brightly.

"What do you mean? How is that possible?" Bonnie asks.

"My dad was a Bennett witch, but when he met my mom he changed his last name and stop using magic. Your mom and my dad were biological brother and sister, Bonnie."

"So, we really are related. Close relatives?" she asks.

"Yes! We're cousins!" Kit says and Bonnie hugs her tight.

When they release, "Kit, your eyes. What's wrong with your eyes?" Bonnie questions bringing a hand to her mouth, but the only thing Kit can do is stare blankly at her.

"Kit!" Damon calls to her. She turns around at the sound of his voice, but what they see is truly shocking. Her eyes are a full. deep, red, unlike a vampire's eyes and her teeth are sharp and jagged, unlike a vampire's.

"Stefan, what's wrong with her?" Elena cries moving.

Kit snarls and in a second she's right in front of Elena as she pulls her head back exposing her neck. The moment she sets to pounce, the door opens and closes exposing a very worried Matt Donovan. Kit releases Elena and goes for Matt. Before any of the vampires can move, she's already sank her teeth into Matt's neck.

"You're killing him!" Biri shouts as she runs towards them and Elijah stops her by simply outstretching his arm.

"Kit! Release!" Damon calls and she turns with Matt so she looks directly into his eyes. He stands in the exact same spot she left him in by the couch.

She retracts her teeth as she looks at her husband.

"Is this what you wanted? Is this how you thought it'd be?" she asks in a deep, guttural, demonic voice, then she lets Matt fall to the floor and she's gone in a flash inside the house. Caroline, Tyler, and Jeremy rush to tend to him.

"What the hell was that? What's wrong with her?" Bonnie asks.

"That was something truly special." Elijah says as he releases Biri to charge her way to Matt and the small group leaves.

"Say something, Damon! This is your doing!" Stefan says urging his brother and Damon vamp speeds over to Elijah.

"What the hell is wrong with my wife, Elijah? You've said for months that she's special! What the hell was that?" Damon says as he grabs the lapels of Elijah's jacket.

"You will learn soon enough." Elijah smiles and he brushes him off.

"Stop toying with them Elijah, and tell them." Katherine slinks her way over to the two.

"Someone say something! What's wrong with her?" Elena questions stretching her arm out as if Kit was still in the room.

"She's reached her full potential. She's half vampire-half demon." Katherine smirks with the most pleased look on her face.

"So you know then?" they turn to see Kit looking like herself again at the entrance to the living area, but in much darker clothes than she usually wears and her hair down in messy waves over her shoulders.

"How do you like my outfit? You see Katherine, I knew you spent time here, pretending to be Elena. So, I just had a time finding your stash of clothing. Looks good on me, right?" she smiles turning to put her outfit on full display.

"Returning the favor of me taking your clothes at the wedding I see. Yes, I knew." she says with her arms folded.

"Hmmm." she hums is if weighing her options, then as calmly as possible, she stalks towards Katherine, sizing her up. The second she's eye to eye with her, she snaps her neck and she crumples in a heap on the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Damon says turning her around holding her arms to each side of her. She just laughs in his face.

"Isn't this what you wanted? You wanted me to be like you, right?" she tilts her head to the right, smirking.

"But, you're not like me, are you? he asks trying to figure her out.

"Oh, I'm so much worse than you, Damon." she laughs demonically.

"What are you? What's happening to you?" he asks.

"I'm special. I'm a new breed. You can blame the woman who gave birth to me. Now, let me go." she growls.

"Damon." Elijah pipes in and she spins in his direction, much to Damon's surprise of how easy it was for her.

"Elijah. You said when I was ready to learn why I'm special, I'd learn. Apparently, I'm ready. Wouldn't you say?" she says sauntering over to him, her arms stretched out with her elbows turned inward.

"It would seem so." he says shifting against his spot at the entrance, for the first time since being in the house.

"You've never judged me. Not once have you questioned me. I remember what you said to me before my wedding." says turning on her heels and sauntering back to Damon.

"Speaking of, I remember everything you've ever compelled me to forget. I remember how you told me that you were a vampire and that you had to break up with me to protect me all those years ago. I remember how you brought me to the Caribbean and had a beautiful beach wedding then compelled me to forget it. Why would you do all that?" she drags her tongue along her teeth, drawing his full attention to her mouth.

"Because, I love you. I knew you wanted our family there for our wedding day. I knew something would happen, so I married you before it could." he looks her in the eye.

"I remember the vows ending with _For all eternity _instead of _For all the days of our lives_. You were just so determined to turn me, weren't you?" she asks fiddling the sleeves of her jacket.

"You think I wanted this for you? I didn't wanna lose you." Damon says fisting his hands.

"How do you figure you haven't lost me?" she says stepping towards him, jamming a hidden stake from her sleeve into his abdomen and he slumps into her. "These clothes are a loaner. I'd appreciate it if you didn't bleed on them." she says leaning over him, cupping his mouth in one hand in an unloving manner.

Walking away from him as Stefan surprisingly brushes past her to check his brother, "So, you're just gonna let go of your humanity. Just like that." He asks her.

"Come on, Stefan. Even you had to see this coming. As moral as you are, you had to know I wouldn't just heel to what he wanted for me." she turns back with a hand on her hip and a smile on her face.

"Kit, what's happening to you?" Elena suddenly grasps the hand that's been resting on her hip.

"Poor innocent, angelic, Elena. How can you be so blind as to everything that happens around you?" she questions placing her hand back on her hip.

Before Elena can say anything else, "I also remember…"she stops as if remembering something. "Who was that bitch that shot me?" she asks more to herself than anyone else.

"That would be my sister, Rebekah." Elijah states stalking towards her.

"Your sister? Well I'm gonna kill her."

"I'll handle my sister. You work on your humanity." he says.

"My humanity is gone, Elijah." she growls. "But, I do remember something else. Something….That son of a bitch! He played me this whole time!" she says stalking towards the door. "Elijah? You coming?" She says turning back and he's by her side in a flash.

"Where are you going?" Damon grits with the little strength he has left.

"I'm going to kick a hybrid's ass." she says and then they're gone.


	26. Chapter 26

"What are you planning to do?" Elijah asks from the passenger seat. They sit in Kit's red Audi outside of Klaus' mansion.

"I still plan to kill Rebekah, if that's what you're asking. But as of right now, I have bigger fish to fry. You're staying here. Nice haircut by the way." she says glancing at him while twiddling a strand of hair in her fingers.

"You're going in there for Niklaus, aren't you? You'll need a distraction. I happen to be handy with those." he says smirking unlike himself.

"You can't distract him the way I plan to." she smiles, adjusting her jacket and then exit's the vehicle. As if knowing Elijah all too well, she leans and peers into the glass, "Stay here" she mouths and is gone in a flash.

* * *

Making her way through the house, she's surprised at how light on her feet she is. Listening for the slightest hint that Klaus is in the house, she hears him.

"Big Brother, I thought you sided with the enemy?"

_Does he not listen at all? _she whispers before she realizes it's a phone conversation.

"Kitana is important to mem Niklaus. Surely not for the reasons you have."

"Calm down Elijah, you'll get wrinkles." he laughs.

"Where's Rebekah?"

"Our little sister is out with her new pet. Why do you ask?" Klaus answers. _So Krystal hasn't been turned? Why is she with Klaus and Rebekah? Could she have been compelled? Klaus called her a pet. _The conversation lasts for a few more moments and Klaus hangs up. Taking her queue, thanks to Elijah, she makes her move throughout the house.

"Nik." she whispers as she moves around him.

"Nik." she gets his attention.

"Who's there?" he says from the couch.

"Nik." she whispers getting closer.

"Show yourself!" he shouts rising from the couch this time.

Taking him off his feet, she shoves him onto the couch, straddles him, rips his shirt open and kisses him without fear, without love, but pure seduction all the while exploring his entire abdomen with her hands. Taking her by the shoulders and parting from her, he looks into her eyes with complete wonder.

"What took you so long?" he asks amazed.

"I just thought you'd like to know what is was like for me to kiss you without you compelling it out of me, or scaring it out of me." she smirks with her head tilted to the right as she glides a fingernail down the middle of his abdomen.

"I see the Salvatore's couldn't wait to turn you. You make a glorious vampire." he smiles releasing her shoulders and taking hold of her waist.

"Actually, I'm a hybrid." she smiles before lunging for his neck.

"I don't understand." he tries desperately to hold back as she's kissing his neck.

"You see, I'm not your kind of hybrid. I'm much, much worse." she smirks, before catching his mouth with hers and this time he gives in. After a moment, he remembers himself.

"Why are you here, Kit? Shouldn't you be with Damon?" he asks and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm here with you and you're questioning it. You were so quick to rip a dress off of me in the bridal shop. Now, I'm here giving myself to you and you don't want me. Unbelievable." she huffs at him.

As if a light flickers on, he realizes. "You've turned off your humanity."

"Make love to me Nik." she says pressing her forehead to his and looking him in the eyes through her lashes.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" they hear a female voice.

"Rebekah. What do you want?" he asks thoroughly pissed for having his moment of true happiness being torn from him. Kit could care less about anyone else in the room as she makes work of the spot behind his ear.

"You have me shoot her in the head and here she is in your lap. Why am I here, Nik?" she whines.

"Rebekah." Kit whispers, parting from Klaus and in a second she gets over to Rebekah and snaps her neck and her body crumples in a heap of limbs.

"What are you? No new vampire could have that speed, that power." he says and she turns around so he can see her true face.

"I told you. I'm not like you." she says in the demonic voice she possessed earlier that night.

"Kitana, what have you done?" she hears Elijah's voice behind her and her face returns to normal.

"You asked me not to kill her, so I only snapped her neck." she says turning and sauntering towards him. "She's lucky that's all she got." she sings bringing her hands up to wriggle her fingers into the back of his hair. "Don't be so stiff about it, Elijah. She shot me in the head, I snapped her neck, I say we're even." she whispers dangerously close to his ear before giving it a light peck. Not even hiding that it had an effect on him, he grabs her by the arms, "What do you think you're doing?" he asks.

"Look at you. You can't even pretend that you don't want me. I remember what you said before my wedding, Elijah. Just admit that you have feelings for me." she laughs manically.

"Elijah? Is this true?" Klaus questions and she turns her attention to him.

"Oh Klaus, you sick, delusional bastard. _Make love to me_? Did you really think I wanted you? I'll tell you now as I've told you before, I never have and I never will have any feelings toward you. You're practically nothing." she crosses her arms and brings a hand to her chin as if this is how she'll prove her point. He lunges for her and she shuts him down, slamming him to the floor, then digging a heel into him before plunging her hand into his chest and grasping his heart, which immediately sets ablaze and Klaus starts to scream.

"Let him go, Kitana." Elijah urges her, before attempting to pry her hands away himself.

"You're so used to being the most powerful being in Mystic Falls and you will be for a while. But you are not the most powerful being." she looms over him.

"What are you?" he screams under her hold, to her ever-present pleasure.

"I came here with full intentions of just getting inside your head, but make no mistake about it, Klaus, I will end you if you make a move like that against me ever again. The only reason I'm sparing your life now is because I'm bored with you. You know what happens when you get new toys, Klaus? You get tired of playing with the toys, Klaus." she says with no emotion in sight as she releases her hold. "Elijah." she says and he moves to open the door for her as Klaus frantically tries to put the flames out.

"Kitten. Talk to me." Damon says walking towards her.

"Damon, I don't have time for this. I have places I need to be." she says rolling her eyes and continues walking before he grabs her elbow. "Take your hand off me." she growls before he pulls her into the most passionate kiss he thought he'd never have to give. The kiss of desperation.

"Kitten, don't leave me. We can figure this all out. I promise." he says when they part.

"You're kidding right? Have I had that much of an effect on you? God Damon, you're pathetic. What happened to the crazy and impulsive vampire that I knew? He was a party." she says antagonizing him.

"So, you want crazy and impulsive? I can give you that." he shrugs before lunging at her and jamming something into her neck. She pushes him off with no problem.

"Are you seriously trying to vervain me? How stupid can you be, Damon? You honestly think I haven't worked all this out by now? Why do you think I have Elijah?" she asks taking the syringe out of her neck and throwing it at him.

"You are my wife, Kit. I'm not stopping until you hear me out." he says stretching his arms out.

"You think I've forgotten that I'm married to you? I haven't. But, until you and everyone else realize that there are things I need to do, I can never come back home." she says in her own defensive stance which is oddly similar to his.

"Where are you gonna go if you can't come home?" he asks.

"I just told you. There are things I need to do. Things that don't. Involve. You." she says irritated with a hand on the back of her neck where he'd stabbed her. He bends to pick up the syringe, but when he stands Kit and Elijah are nowhere in sight.

* * *

Monday October 31st, 2011

Laying in bed staring at the ceiling as I've done for the past month, the morning sun shines through the curtains of my room in the Boarding House. It's clear that My Kitten is long gone. I couldn't bring myself to return to our home. It's been over a month since she was turned into a hybrid. Thanks to Bonnie, we now know that Kit being half demon makes her more powerful than any of us imagined. After fighting like hell with him, I reluctantly had a conversation with Klaus, after she and Elijah disappeared. Apparently, she overpowered him too. It doesn't help that she shut off her humanity. This worries me. I did this to her. I planned for her to be turned if something happened. She shut off her humanity, because she was pissed at me. Now, she's off with Elijah doing who knows what. The last I heard, Caroline had a run-in with her in the Plaza. So it's possible she's still in Mystic Falls. Ric's been doing his own search for her. They all think I've given up on her. So what? They think what I need them to, so that I can find my wife and bring her back home. I don't care what they think. I'm doing my own search for her, because I know my wife. _How can you know what's she's been up to, Damon? She's let go of her humanity. _God I hate Stefan sometimes. He hasn't forgiven me for her turning either. I can't think about that. I need My Kitten back. It's not the same without hearing her feet pattering around me at this time. _Rise and shine, my love._ Hearing her voice rattle around my brain every day at the same time can't be good for me. But, it's the only thing driving me.

_*Knock, Knock*_

"Damon." I hear Stefan from the door.

"Just leave me alone." I say annoyed.

"We need to talk." he says.

"Stefan, I'm not in the mood for idle chit-chat." I respond, rolling my eyes.

"It's about Kit." he's not getting me with that one.

"Don't screw with me, Stefan. I'll stake you myself if I open that door and you have nothing." I groan and before I know it, he's twisted the knob off the door and is standing next to my bed looking down at me.

"I was trying to be respectful. Have you even slept, brother?" he asks. What's the "brother" act?

"What does it matter? I told you I wasn't in the mood. Where is this mind blowing information you have on my wife?" I ask still staring at the ceiling

"You gonna bother to get outta bed?"

"Nope."

"Fair enough. Do you realize what today is?" he asks.

"It's Halloween. So what?" I glare at him.

"So? If our calculations are correct and the number of bodies she's left in her wake, she's most likely to still be in Mystic Falls." he says and it gets my attention.

"Do we know for sure she's still here?" I ask.

"Only one way to find out. Feel like attending a party tonight?" he asks.

"Where?"

"Mystic Grill. Costume party. We both know how she's a sucker for a costume party." he smirks.

"This your idea?" I ask, resigning to leaving the spot that actually allows me to be comfortable in my misery.

"Actually it was Elena's. It's worth a shot, Damon. She might be there. It's the only shot we have." he says hopeful. If this is in fact the only shot to find her, I'm taking it.

"What are we waiting for?" I ask making my way to my bathroom.


	27. Chapter 27

"Seriously Damon? You're going dressed as a demon?" Stefan asks wearing a bomber jacket and aviators.

"And who are you supposed to be, Tom Cruise in Top Gun? If I know my wife at all, she's dressed as a little demon girl. No worries, Stef. I'm gonna get her back." I smirk at him grabbing my cape. But can I get her back? _Stop it! You're getting her back!_

"Then how do you suppose we do this?" Elena enters dressed like a preppy school girl, pigtails and all.

"_We_ don't do anything. I find her, talk to her, and get her out of there." I say ready to get out and find My Kitten.

"And how do you think you're gonna get her out of there if she can't be vervained, Damon? She's stronger and faster than all of us combined." Stefan says in that annoying tone.

"Not to mention, she has added bonuses to her collection. Matt still isn't the fully heeled and he's borderline insane." Elena says eyeing me suspiciously.

"I don't care. I have to see her." I say before vamp speeding to my car and flooring it all the way to Mystic Grill.

Hearing a band playing, I pull the hood of my cape over my head and exit my car and make my way in to scope the place. Spotting who I think might be her, I feel a hand clamp down on my shoulder.

"If you see her, don't approach her. She's not afraid to cause a scene in a crowd." it's Caroline and she's almost unrecognizable in a blue wig. Before I can respond, the girl I've been watching turns around and I feel my heart sink at the realization that it's not Kit.

* * *

A few hours later, I'm watching the band on stage as I'm keeping an eye on everything that moves.

"She's not here." I hear behind me, turning, I see it's Stefan and Elena.

"It's a big crowd. Have faith, baby bro." I clap him on the back.

"Have you gotten even the slightest hint of her?" he squints annoyingly at me.

"Oh, she's here. I can feel it." I'm not giving up that easily. Just as Elena steps in front of us, I smell the thickest, richest smell that can only mean one thing.

"You smell that?" Stefan nudges me and the craziest smile creeps across my lips.

"Blood and a lot of it. She's here. She wants us to know she's here."

"Do you have any idea how many vampires are in here? It could be anybody."

"Who's giving up now? You badgered me for days thinking that I'd given up on her. Are you giving up, Stef?" I question.

"Of course I'm not." before he can finish what I'm sure was gonna be a load of pointless rambling, the entire crowd goes wild. Shortly after, I hear a now very familiar drum intro followed by an all too familiar voice singing,

_"Do what you, what you want If you have a dream for better" _and I recognize that she's covering Evanescence's "What You Want".

"Oh. My. God. Damon that's Kit's voice!" Elena shouts pointing.

"Damon." in my mind I can hear Stefan, but somehow I'm no longer here.

Entranced by the sound of my wife's voice, I finally catch a glimpse of her, through the crowd, and I see that she is dressed exactly how I thought she would. She's in the shortest, and tightest, red leather dress that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, with tight thigh high boots and little devil horns to match.

"Damon!" Stefan catches my shoulder and snaps me back.

"She's beautiful." I say entranced by her as she dances around the stage.

Her eyes stop on me and my heart races even further. The crowd parts as she makes her way towards us, mic stand in hand, as she sings "_Every heart in my hands Like a pale reflection". _She sets the stand down as the crowd forms a huge circle around her. She prances toward me and takes hold of my shirt singing, "_Hello, hello, remember me? I'm everything you can't control Somewhere beyond the pain There must be a way to believe We can break through", _and it's clear that it's a message. She turns her attention to the crowd around her and continues the act as the singer she still is. She reaches the chorus again and makes eye contact with me again and I allow myself to believe that she hasn't changed. The bridge comes and I learn her game. As she sings "_There's still time Close your eyes Only love will guide you home Tear down the walls and free your soul 'Til we crash We're forever spiraling Down, down, down, down" _she brushes her body against mine, grinding into me. Wanting so badly to move with her, I remember that she isn't the same. She's purposely put herself in a vulnerable position that would easily allow me to snap her neck and take her out of here. She's too smart for my own good. When she sings "_Down, down, down, down" _she trails her body down mine and I know her game. She's tempting me. _This is exactly what you'd do if you were her. _Moments pass as she's connecting with the crowd and taunting me, she ends the song with her full attention on me "_Remember who you really are Do what you, what you want". _She thanks the crowd and waves over a bus boy to take the mic stand.

"You just can't leave well enough alone can you, Damon?" she smirks past me.

"You fed on someone, didn't you?" I ask following her to the bar as Stefan and Elena follow but not too close.

"A girl's gotta eat, right?" she laughs before ordering a vodka tonic.

"You know, we can stop all this silliness and skip to the makeup sex." I say close to her ear and she flinches for the first time being near me.

"Makeup sex? Why can't it just be hot, mad, crazy sex?" she retorts before sipping her drink.

"Why go through all this? You can't stand there and say you feel nothing for me. I know you do." I snake my arm around her waist and pull her to me.

"Do you want the lie or the truth?" she looks into me eyes.

"You look incredibly sexy tonight. What are the odds that we'd show up separately and look like the perfect married couple?" I say catching her off guard. She looks into my eyes, slams her glass on the bar and grabs me with a force that I've missed so much. Pulling me to her, she removes my cape and wraps her arms around my neck, snaking her fingers into my hair and kisses me as if nothing ever happened. How I've missed feeling like this. Parting from me, she takes my hand and pulls me all the way to the restroom. Inside, she pushes me against the wall and starts to kiss me again, the way _she_ knows how while her hands roam all over my body. Pulling away for a second time she looks at me as if something's wrong.

"What? Why are we stopping?" I breathe, reaching out to touch her face and she backs away. She's not leaving me again. No.

"We're not doing this. Not with you like this." she says walking towards the door.

"Kitten, don't leave me again."

"Shut up." she shoots back, ducking her head out the door. After a few seconds a blonde walks in. I recognize that it's the blonde who was with Rebekah and Klaus at our wedding, but there's something else about her.

"Kit, what's going on? Why do you need her?" I almost shout at her.

"You remember our good friend Krystal, don't you, Damon?" she looks strangely into my eyes.

"I don't care about who she is." I recognize her but that's it.

"You don't remember me?" she starts to cry.

"I didn't give you permission to talk!" Kit grunts as she elbows the girl in the ribs and she stumbles back.

"Kit!"

"Stop being so damn soft, Damon! This girl doesn't mean anything to you! She doesn't mean anything to me! But she did at one point. Apparently, to both of us." she says as she grabs the girl and holds her against her. She puts a hand on the girl's neck and I notice a very sharp piece of jewelry on the end of her thumb as she punctures the girl's neck and blood trickles freely from it.

"You keep begging me not to leave you and yet you haven't given me reason not to. So now you're gonna feed. Mainly, because I've never seen you feed as long as I've known you. Of course, I remember the blood bags and I've seen your face when you fought with Klaus. But, I wanna see you feed straight from the vein." she says and pushes Krystal to me.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask really wanting to let the girl hit the floor.

"Well. I've obsessed about this for quite some time now. Then there's the look in your eyes right this second. What kind of vampire were you planning to be without ever letting me see you feed? You'll never be like Stefan, you do know that right?. All moral and on the high road of life. You can't fool me. I'm your wife and I know you enjoy the thrill right now as you've done in the past. You changed because you thought that's what I would've wanted, when I preferred you as the guy that everybody hated." she steps towards me. "Well, you're gonna feed now. I'll tell you everything about that girl in your arms as you feed. The moment you stop feeding is the moment I stop talking." she says.

"This isn't important, Kit."

"Oh, but it is, Damon. It is. Now feed." she points a finger at me and I feel that I have to do as she says. I feel my face change and my fangs form and I sink them into the neck of the girl in my arms.

"Ah there's my boy." she gasps. "Now that I have your attention. The girl you are currently feeding on, used to be a very good friend of mine in high school. That is until I learned how much of a bitch she was. I met Biri and Char and moved on from being her lackey and doing her dirty work. Obviously, she never got over that. Poor petulant child. It also came to my attention, two weeks ago, that when you broke my heart all those years ago, you'd found this girl and used her to take out all your frustrations on. Don't for a second think that bothered me. I was gone so there wasn't any reason for you to hold onto me. But, the second I popped up on your radar, you dropped her like she was nothing. And I'm sure she was nothing if not a human blood bag. I'm thinking she became a lackey to Rebekah to get revenge on me for taking you away from her. But, after Elijah daggered Rebekah and I finally sent Klaus packing with no backup of course, I found her wandering aimlessly and here we are." she says proud of herself. "Oh, you can stop feeding now. I'd like her alive." Seeing that I haven't stopped, "You're enjoying it, aren't you? You're remembering how good it feels to feed from a human?" she asks laughing.

Retracting my fangs, I see she's smiling admiringly at me. "So, you're running on crazy revenge?" I ask, sick of the girl in my arms and let her fall to the floor.

"That's exactly what's happening. I told you before, I can't come home until I finish things once and for all." she folds her arms in front of her chest.

"What things? Revenge on who?" I ask finally wiping the blood from my face.

"Revenge on everyone who's done me wrong. I have places I need to be and people I need to kill." she says sauntering towards the door. Stopping as her hand touches the knob, she flashes over to me and throws her arms around my neck, "Before you even think about following me to the ends of the earth, remember one thing. I was born for this. It's. In. My. Blood. Happy Halloween, hubby." she whispers in my ear, then kisses me the way she did before this happened to her. She parts and I open my eyes to an empty restroom.


	28. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_Now that Kit has fled Mystic Falls for a second time, __where is she planning to go?_

_With Elijah and a shaken Krystal by her side, __what could she be planning?_

_Who is she plotting revenge against?_

_After learning why she's special, being a hybrid may not be so great._

_Is she the strongest supernatural being in creation now?_

_Has she completely shut off her humanity?_

_Will Damon be able to bring his wife back from the edge?_

_What does this mean for the married couple?_

_Will Kit return to the person her family loved?_

* * *

_{Sneak peek of things to come}_

_Thursday February 16__th__ 2012_

"What do we know so far?" I ask as my family makes themselves busy running themselves ragged pinning articles to poster boards and making calls for details on my wife.

"Last place I have her is Bedford, In. She's been doing impromptu shows in different clubs and bars." Caroline says lifting her head from her laptop.

"She's scattering, but I don't think she wants to be hidden." Jeremy says from one of the boards.

"I'm sure she doesn't. How can you hide a recently married Rock Star?" Ric says from his map.

"I need something solid here."

"Well I have concrete. She's changed her name to Kit Salvatore. It'd make her that much easier to track down." Stefan says walking in.

"Either she wants us to find her, or she's challenging us to find her." I observe.

"We can't risk not following these leads on her." Stefan says and it leaves me considering his method.

"Bonnie, how's that locator spell coming?" I ask walking toward her.

"You've asked me every week to try and locate her. She's half demon-half vampire, Damon. The spell's gonna take longer to work out than we hoped. I wanna find her too." She says concentrating.

"Maybe I could be of service." we hear a voice from the entrance.

"Klaus."

"Ah. Damon, I'm only here as a mutual comrade. You're looking for your wife. I'm looking for my brother. According to one of my hybrids our Kit was spotted five minutes ago in Des Moines." he says, no doubt proud of himself.

* * *

_To be continued….._


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